Lee Marley Group has received a King’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its work to widen access to careers in construction.
The large-scale construction subcontractor, which specialises in scaffolding and brick facades on high-rise buildings, was named among 185 UK organisations recognised in the 2026 awards.
The company has been honoured in the Promoting Opportunity category.
Founded in 1997, Lee Marley Group employs more than 1,400 people and operates across England and Scotland.
The award recognises the firm’s work to recruit local people from the areas where its projects are delivered, creating routes into construction for people who may otherwise have faced barriers to entering the industry.
Apprenticeship route
Lee Marley Group said its approach is focused on helping people learn a skilled trade or profession, gain long-term employment and improve their economic prospects.
The business has supported more than 260 apprentices since 2014 and can provide up to 80 apprenticeship places each year.
More than 90% of apprentices are expected to move into long-term employment within the company.
The latest recognition follows a series of training-related awards for Lee Marley Group.
The company received the Princess Royal Training Award in 2021 and 2024, and was named the 2025 recipient of the Association of Brickwork Contractors’ Commitment to Training and Development Award.
Dan Clarkson, Chief Operating Officer at Lee Marley Group, said the award recognised the people across the business who help develop new entrants into the sector.
“This award belongs to our people,” he said.
“It recognises the purpose, passion and knowledge they bring to work every day, and the commitment they show in helping develop the next generation of construction professionals.
“Our workforce is rooted in the communities we operate in. We recruit locally, from the same boroughs where our projects are built and where our people live, which creates a genuine pathway into the industry for those who might not otherwise have had the opportunity.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise were previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and were renamed in 2023.
The awards are now in their 60th year and remain among the UK’s most high-profile business honours.
Winning organisations can use the King’s Awards emblem for 5 years.
Applications for the 2027 awards open on 6 May 2026.
