More than 200 staff from construction firm City Building attended a civic reception at Glasgow City Chambers as the organisation was presented with the Queens Award for Sustainable Development, the most prestigious business award in the UK.

Dr Graham Paterson, executive director at City Building, collected the award from the Lord Provost of Glasgow, who as Lord-Lieutenant of Glasgow is also the Queen’s official representative in the city.

During her speech, the Lord Provost praised City Building’s unique socially inclusive approach to creating employment opportunities across the city and said that the firm was a credit to Glasgow.

City Building previously won the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development in 2012.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise recognise and celebrate business excellence in the fields of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility). They are UK’s most prestigious business awards and are regarded as the pinnacle of business achievement.

Established in 2006, City Building has grown to become one of Scotland’s largest construction firms, employing over 2,200 staff and providing a wide range of construction, maintenance and manufacturing services.

The organisation was recognised for its unique social ethos which includes providing sustainable employment for a diverse range of people including those with disabilities and other under-represented groups.

The award also recognised City Building’s youth employment strategy. The Glasgow firm operates Scotland’s largest apprentice programme, with a completion rate of 94% compared to an industry average of 75%. It employs 20% of all female craft apprentices in Scotland.

Chloe Land-Sinclair, a time out administration apprentice who attended the event, said the award would provide a boost for staff.

The 20-year-old added: “Everyone is so supportive at City Building, nobody looks down on you just because you are an apprentice. I am at college now and hoping to develop my career by going into planning.”

Dr Graham Paterson said: “It was an honour to receive the Queens Award from the Lord Provost, Lord-Lieutenant of Glasgow, and even more rewarding that it was in front of so many staff. Our hard-working employees thoroughly deserve the recognition and I am really proud of them for winning this prestigious accolade for a second time.”

The Queens Award will now go on display at the organisation’s Springburn headquarters.