Courteenhall Estate, a historic family-owned rural farm business in Northamptonshire, has been awarded the King's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development - one of the most prestigious honours in the UK.

The award, granted by His Majesty the King on the advice of the Prime Minister, recognises outstanding achievement in sustainability. For Courteenhall, it is recognition of a philosophy grounded in custodianship that has guided the estate for generations.

Dr Johnny Wake, Managing Partner of Courteenhall, says: "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.

“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 has long been central to Courteenhall. Today the estate manages approximately 2,000 acres of arable land and Pasture for Life-certified livestock, with regenerative practices embedded throughout.

These include reduced tillage, which limits damaging disturbance to the ground and protects soil structure; diversified crop rotations that restore nutrients naturally; and cover cropping, where plants are grown between harvests to protect and enrich the soil.

The estate has set a target to be net zero by 2030, supported by rigorous carbon modelling and renewable energy development on the land. A sustained programme of woodland expansion, hedgerow restoration, and species-rich grassland creation draws down and stores carbon from the atmosphere.

With consistent financial growth over the past three years, Courteenhall demonstrates that responsible land stewardship and long-term financial resilience can be delivered simultaneously.

Dr Wake says: “This award is recognition of what our team has done in setting the vision and then all working our socks off to travel there.”

Sustainability at Courteenhall extends well beyond the farm gate. New Leaf Learning, a charity founded, based at, and supported by the estate, provides nature-based, connection-focused programmes for primary school children who are struggling to engage with education. It also works with teachers and parents, offering training and support. The charity has demonstrated strong outcomes for the children it works with, supported by both data and feedback.

The estate is also a partner in the West Northamptonshire Good Food Plan, a county-wide initiative focused on building a more sustainable, healthy, and connected food system.

Courteenhall’s next major project, The Knot, a farm shop and restaurant opening in 2027, will put that ambition into practice, creating a new destination for locally produced food, and strengthening links between Courteenhall and its surrounding communities.

Dr Wake sees the award as a platform for what comes next: "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 adds: “I hope this gives ideas as to some ways of combining farming, community and financial resilience in a sustainable way.”