Sponge wins TJ Award for AstraZeneca’s Code of Ethics

The “Embedding Ethics in AstraZeneca’s DNA” submission picked up bronze in the category of Best Commercial Programme, as well as being a finalist in the Best Training Partnership category. The awards were announced at a Gala Evening held at the Tower of London on 3 December 2019.

The TJ Award is the second award win for the Sponge and AstraZeneca duo this year; the biopharmaceutical’s Code of Ethics training scooped a silver award for Best Advance in Compliance Training at the Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Learning Awards in August. The project was also named finalist in the LPI’s Learning Awards 2020, where it is shortlisted for External Learning Solution of the Year - winners will be announced at a ceremony in February.

For the Best Commercial Programme category, the TJ judges were looking for initiatives that demonstrated a clear understanding of best practice excellence in the field of L&D understood the organisation, its aims and objectives; showed good problem-solving skills, horizon scanning and forward thinking; and had clear evidence of success.

A successful partnership

Commenting on the win, Louise Vamvoukaki, Director of Sustainability, Education and Engagement at AstraZeneca, said, "Performing ethically is critical to the pharmaceutical industry so we’re thrilled to be recognised in the Best Commercial Programme category for our compliance training. Working in partnership with Sponge, the Code of Ethics training has not only been a successful programme in its own right but has contributed to our learning culture company-wide. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved and continues to achieve.”

Sponge’s managing director, Louise Pasterfield, added, “To have won two awards in 2019 and be in the running for another in 2020 for our work with AstraZeneca is true testimony to the successful and ongoing partnership we have fostered. Well done to everyone involved in the project!

"As well as our ability to create strong and long-lasting relationships with our clients, I believe that what sets us apart in the learning industry is our ability to make serious subjects, like compliance, engaging. By harnessing our creativity, we’re able to ensure impactful results for our customers’ businesses.

"We look forward to working with AstraZeneca to deliver more projects worthy of winning awards next year.”

In good company

The TJ Awards, now in their 14th year, recognise the ingenuity, creativity, passion and hard work of L&D professionals from around the world. A full list of TJ Awards 2019 winners is available here.

Sponge’s win follows recent success at the LT Awards in November, where the company’s Senior Developer and Team Leader, Andrew Hosgood, picked up the silver award for Developer of the Year, while Sponge’s very first Learning Experience Director (LExD), Liz Hardwell, took home the bronze award for Designer of the Year.

Sponge was recently acquired by private equity firm, Aliter Capital, joining leading LMS provider, Bolt Learning, in creating a major new force in the learning technology market.