Cosy is one of 197 organisations to have achieved a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise, and has been specifically honoured for its excellence in international trade, and supplying sustainable nursery and educational equipment to 38 countries worldwide. Announced today, a total of 199 awards have been made, with two companies being recognised with two awards. The King’s Award for Enterprise is a globally recognised mark of achievement, celebrating the great work of companies and rewarding any challenges they have overcome.
Employing 107 people, Cosy Direct was founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife team, Peter and Amanda Ellse. Cosy promotes a natural, engaged and active childhood and is continually innovating and developing its product range with teacher-led research and play in mind. Champions of nature and real-life childhoods, where children are encouraged to play and take part in adventurous activities that enable them to learn and develop whilst having fun, Cosy has created thousands of exciting ideas for early years’ settings.
David Hook, Cosy Managing Director, said: “Our whole team have worked so hard for this award. It is a testament to the quality of our resources, service from our colleagues, and to our wonderful customers in the UK and overseas who have supported us through this journey. With a brand new team and offices and staff in the Netherlands, our export group is one of our four stellar growth divisions. To achieve a King’s Award for Enterprise as we approach our 15th year to sit alongside our Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development is a tremendous achievement and we are honoured with this recognition.”
Since it was established 14 years ago, Cosy has developed over 30,000 product ideas for early years’ settings, 95% of which are manufactured in the UK and Europe, and is proud to be the 2024 Education Resource Awards’ Supplier of the Year and Nursery Management Today Awards’ Supplier of the Year for Equipment and Services. The Cosy range is completely sustainable and through biophilic design encourages an environment that is close to nature. 10% of Cosy’s profits are donated to the Cosy Foundation, which supports charities across the globe.
With a mission to inspire create delightful, nature-inspired spaces for children and teachers alike, Cosy believes in investing in its people, providing them with opportunities for growth. 100% of its team receives personalised training each year and every staff member gets three days of volunteering time annually. 10% of its staff are apprentices, and Cosy works with organisations that provide meaningful programmes that allow young learning-disabled people to move into opportunities in life as active citizens. Another 7% of its employees are prisoners on day release, with a target of 10% in 2025.
Representatives from Cosy Direct will collect their King’s Awards for Enterprise in a reception later this year.