Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development, one of the UK’s highest business honours.
The award, granted by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister, recognises organisations demonstrating strong performance in sustainable development. For Courteenhall Estate, it marks formal recognition of a long-running approach to land management and environmental stewardship.
Johnny Wake, managing partner of Courteenhall Estate, said the award carried particular weight for the business. “The land has been managed in the family for over 350 years. We are only its custodians. Our job is to leave it in a better place for the next generations,” he said. “This isn’t just any award to us – it carries huge credibility and exclusivity. We didn’t remotely take for granted that we’d get it, and it means the world to me that we did.”
Farming remains central to the estate’s operations, with around 2,000 acres under management. In recent years, the business has adopted a range of regenerative practices, including reduced tillage, diversified crop rotations and the use of cover crops to support soil health.
The estate has also set a target to reach net zero by 2030, supported by carbon modelling and renewable energy initiatives. Alongside this, programmes such as woodland planting, hedgerow restoration and the creation of species-rich grassland are intended to improve biodiversity and increase carbon storage.
Courteenhall Estate reports sustained business growth in recent years, reflecting what Wake describes as a balance between environmental management and commercial performance.
“This award is recognition of what our team has done in setting the vision and then all working our socks off to travel there,” he said.
Activity linked to the estate extends beyond farming. New Leaf Learning, a charity based at Courteenhall and supported by the business, delivers nature-based programmes for primary school children who are struggling to engage with education, alongside training for teachers and parents.
The estate is also involved in the West Northamptonshire Good Food Plan, a wider initiative aimed at developing a more sustainable and locally connected food system.
A further development, The Knot, a farm shop and restaurant planned for 2027, is expected to expand the estate’s direct link with local consumers and suppliers.
Wake said the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development would support the next phase of the estate’s work. “We are not remotely the finished article and still have huge amounts of work to do. We want to really engage our local community with locally produced healthy food and lifestyles. This award helps us demonstrate to the public that we are credible and serious,” he said.
He added: “I hope this gives ideas as to some ways of combining farming, community and financial resilience in a sustainable way.”
Image: Cattle grazing at Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire, where sustainable land management practices underpin the business.
