The compliance programme, serving an annual audience of 230,000, has been recognised four times by Brandon Hall Group in 2025.
Bristol & Berlin – 16th December – Sponge Compliance and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) have been awarded a Brandon Hall Group™ Gold award for their Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) Operator Training Course. The recognition, in the category of Best Advance in Learning Management Technology for Compliance Training, highlights the learning solution's role in strengthening safety standards, ensuring regulatory alignment, and supporting consistent compliance across IPAF’s global operations.
The award win is further acknowledgement of the transformation of IPAF’s longest-standing, globally recognised MEWP Operator Training Course, a vital programme combining theory with practical safety and efficiency training, chosen by more than 230,000 operators worldwide each year. It marks the fourth accolade the course has received this year, following its August success at the HCM Excellence Awards® in the categories of Best Use of Blended Learning, Best Compliance Training, and Best Unique or Innovative Learning and Development Programme.
On the award wins, Paul Roddis, Training Manager at IPAF, said: "It's fantastic to have the MEWP Operator Training Course recognised in this way. This globally collaborative project epitomises IPAF's mission to promote safe, effective use of powered access worldwide. Experts from across the globe worked together, ensuring strict adherence to the latest technical MEWP standards while creating something truly innovative and engaging. The training is a complete game-changer, as it's the first course of its kind to seamlessly integrate behavioural and learning science into the training itself.”
Delivered via a blended learning model, the award-winning course pairs flexible theory training, available as self-paced multilingual eLearning on Sponge’s LMS, Spark, or in the classroom, with hands-on practical training at an IPAF Approved Training Centre. With strict health and safety compliance at its core, the programme enhances learner confidence and safety outcomes through modular paths and highly engaging 3D simulations.
Spark also enables learning content to be surfaced directly within IPAF’s own portal, allowing learners to access training without leaving the familiar IPAF environment, while training and performance data is captured to support robust compliance reporting. Classroom-based training is supported both online and offline, enabling authorised trainers to deliver compliant training globally, even in locations with limited connectivity.
“The Excellence in Technology Awards celebrate the most forward-thinking innovations shaping the future of learning, talent, and human capital management. This year’s winners exemplify how technology can unlock new possibilities - improving performance, enabling smarter decision-making, and transforming how organizations support and develop their people,” said Rachel Cooke, Brandon Hall Group Chief Operating Officer and leader of the Excellence Awards program.
Entries were evaluated by a panel of veteran, independent senior industry experts, Brandon Hall Group analysts, and executives based upon these criteria:
- Fit the need
- Program design
- Functionality
- Innovation
- Overall measurable benefits
Excellence Award winners are scheduled to be honoured at Brandon Hall Group's HCM Excellence Conference, February 9-12, 2026, at the Hilton West Palm Beach, Florida. Select winners will also serve as presenters in breakout sessions, sharing their leading practices during the conference.
“Our Technology Awards are built on a rigorous evaluation framework that measures true innovation, functional excellence, and quantifiable business impact. The solution providers and organizations recognized this year reflect the highest standards in the industry, demonstrating how technology can accelerate capability, efficiency, and results,” said Mike Cooke, Brandon Hall Group Chief Executive Officer.