Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire presents King's Award to MSSL

MSSL welcomes the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire to its carbon neutral Leicester facility for the formal presentation of The King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.

The ceremony marked a milestone year for the business, as it closes on its 40th year celebrations.

Lord Lieutenant Michael Kapur OBE CStJ presented the award, on behalf of King Charles III, to managing director Sean Smith and operations and finance director Emily Smith.

Alongside, Deputy Lieutenant Rob Nixon CBE QPM DL reading the official grant of appointment.

Team members and partners gathered on the shopfloor at the carbon neutral facility to celebrate the handing over of the award.

MSSL was one of only 27 businesses nationwide to receive the King’s Award for Sustainable Development in 2025 - and one of just two East Midlands-based recipients.

The recognition reflects more than a decade of work to embed sustainability into day-to-day operations while continuing to grow.

Emily began leading the company’s sustainability journey in 2013, introducing measures that have cut carbon emissions by 60% since 2018.

She said: “Being told as we marked our 40th year that we were also to receive the King’s Award was a huge moment for the team.”

“It shows that you can grow a manufacturing business, invest in skilled jobs, and still cut your environmental impact year after year.”

The award recognises MSSL’s long-term commitment to embedding sustainability into operations.

MSSL achieved carbon neutral status in 2022 and is currently seven years ahead of the Make UK Net Zero carbon reduction roadmap.

Future initiatives include acting on a recent water audit, exploring rainwater harvesting at the Leicester site, and implementing further energy‑saving measures.

Sean said: “Engineering quality and safety have always been non-negotiable for us.

“The King’s Award shows that the same discipline and agility we show in building reliable switchgear can also deliver real progress on carbon, waste, and resource reduction across the whole business.”

Founded in 1985, MSSL grew from a small yard behind a Leicester terrace to a purpose-built site that supplies low voltage switchgear and control panels to hospitals, logistics hubs, universities and other critical infrastructure across the UK.

The King’s Award presentation highlights how long-term investment in skills, safety and engineering standards underpins its sustainability success.

Alongside the King’s Award, MSSL holds multiple RoSPA Gold Medal Awards and ISO certifications, including ISO 14001 for environmental management - further underlining its commitment to safe and responsible growth.