In this article we take a closer look at how ERG Corporate University (ERG CU) has built a strong learning impact culture, and how the LIFT certification has supported its ongoing development and recognition.

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) is a global leader in mining and metals, operating across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Brazil with over 80,000 employees. As part of its transformation programme launched in 2023, ERG established its Corporate University to support business growth, leadership development, operational excellence, and corporate responsibility, while placing employees at the centre of its strategy.

ERG CU delivers targeted, practical training that evolves continuously through ongoing assessment, mentoring, and feedback. Its programmes remain closely connected to business priorities, with strong collaboration across all organisational levels. Beyond ERG itself, the Corporate University’s work contributes to wider social and economic development through various national and sector-wide initiatives.

Likewise, its mission aligns with ERG’s values of safety, unity, efficiency, development, and responsibility, driving innovation and sustainability through effective learning solutions. The LIFT certification provided ERG CU with an opportunity for a strategic review of its impact approach, confirming the strength of its programmes and stakeholder engagement. The peer review team commended ERG CU for its clear learning impact mindset and deep integration of learning into business processes.

To explore the process and outcomes of the LIFT certification, we invited ERG Corporate University to share their experience first-hand:

1. What motivated your team to pursue the LIFT certification, and how did those motivations shape your approach to the process?

We were driven by the need for an honest, external assessment of our learning function’s maturity. We wanted to understand how systematically we approach learning impact and where there’s room to grow. LIFT gave us not just a structure, but a professional benchmark: what practices are truly recognised as mature on the international level. We aimed to move beyond measuring participation and satisfaction toward understanding how learning influences business outcomes and behavioural change. This shift reframed even our internal discussions: from “we ran a course” to “we contributed to operational and cultural impact.”

2. During the self-assessment phase, what stood out to you in terms of learning impact? Did anything challenge your assumptions or reaffirm your direction?

The self-assessment turned out to be far more than a routine exercise — it became a catalyst for strategic reflection. We approached it not as a compliance task, but as an opportunity to pause, take stock, and truly ask ourselves: are we making the kind of impact we aspire to?

One of the most striking insights was how much value can be unlocked when we shift focus from what we deliver to what changes as a result. We’ve always been confident in the quality and scale of our programmes — but this phase challenged us to look deeper: how are mindsets shifting? Are workplace behaviours changing? Are the organisational conditions in place to support that change?

The exercise highlighted a simple yet powerful truth: content alone is never enough. What truly matters is what happens after the training ends — how people apply what they’ve learned, and how the system either enables or blocks that application. This realisation led us to sharpen the outcomes we aim for and invest more intentionally in post-programme support: from building line manager ownership to integrating learning into ongoing performance conversations.

We also saw this as a chance to reassess our assumptions about “impact”. Historically, it’s easy to rely on participant satisfaction or completion rates. But now, we are pushing ourselves to understand longer-term shifts: in capability, culture, and business outcomes. That shift in mindset — from activity to impact — is already influencing how we design, evaluate, and sustain learning.

Ultimately, the self-assessment reaffirmed that we’re on the right path — but also that real impact comes from integrating learning deeply into the flow of work, leadership, and organisational priorities.

3. How did the peer review discussions with EFMD and the engagement with your stakeholders influence internal conversations around learning impact?

The peer review discussions gave us a rare opportunity to receive feedback from professionals who truly understand how learning drives change. Internally, it shifted the narrative: more business leaders now see learning not just as a cost, but as an investment in resilience and development. The EFMD process elevated the visibility of our work and helped us engage senior stakeholders in deeper, more strategic conversations about the role of learning in shaping company culture and operational results.

4. What value does LIFT bring to your learning function, and how are you beginning to apply the insights gained?

LIFT has become a strategic development tool for us. We now use its principles as an internal standard — whatever we launch, we ask: “What impact are we aiming for?”, “How will we measure it?”, “Who will reinforce the change after the training ends?”. Programmes are becoming less formalistic and more outcomes-oriented. We have introduced a planning and evaluation framework based on learning impact, strengthened our stakeholder engagement, and built internal expertise to anticipate and measure results before any course begins. LIFT helped us build a foundation for a new phase in the evolution of our learning function.

The LIFT certification validates ERG CU’s achievements while providing a framework for continuous improvement, ensuring its programmes remain impactful, business-relevant, and aligned with broader societal needs.

About LIFT

EFMD’s LIFT (Learning Impact for Today and Tomorrow) Certification allows a learning function to evaluate and benchmark its maturity in how it delivers impact to its stakeholders against industry standards. It also empowers learning functions to engage stakeholders, analyse impact, and align practices with industry best standards, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

LIFT provides an externally recognised three-year certification, enabling organisations to receive validation, insights for improvement, and a holistic perspective on their impact approach.

To learn more about LIFT, visit our website or contact Steven Smith or Shanshan Ge.

Gain firsthand insights into the LIFT journey, discovering how certified learning functions embed impactful learning into their organisational framework and the tangible benefits that follow through a series of interviews offering two key perspectives: the peer reviewers who assess and endorse the certification and the companies that have successfully achieved it.