Black Onyx Academy has been announced as a finalist for the Responsible Business of the Year Award at the 2026 Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, sponsored by Rydale Roofing.

The Stoke-on-Trent training provider delivers accredited security, safety and emergency response qualifications, but much of what defines it sits outside the commercial curriculum. Its S.A.L.T. (Save A Life Today) programme has delivered knife crime awareness and catastrophic bleed control training to schools, youth organisations and community groups, reaching over 100 organisations. Community action days in Hanley and Bentilee have brought 65 volunteers onto the streets to remove weapons and support local safety.

Veterans are central to the Black Onyx model. Sixty per cent of the 170-strong workforce at sister company Black Onyx Concepts are former service personnel, supported by guaranteed interview pathways and ELCAS-funded training. The business holds Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award status.

Stuart Elford, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “Black Onyx Academy is a fantastic example of a business that measures its success not just in commercial terms, but in the difference it makes to people’s lives. From knife crime prevention in our schools to creating real career pathways for veterans, the work they do across Staffordshire is genuinely remarkable. Being named a finalist in the region’s largest business awards is thoroughly deserved, and we wish them the very best of luck on the night.”

The winners will be revealed at a gala awards ceremony at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Thursday 9 July 2026, followed by The After Party, a late-night celebration for finalists, winners and partners.

To find out more about the 2026 Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards, visit staffordshirechambers.co.uk/awards.