Emerald Buys Learning Specialist Towards Maturity

British-based benchmarking firm Towards Maturity, which operates in the professional learning and development market, has been acquired by Emerald Group for an undisclosed sum.

The Group, which is based in Bingley, Yorkshire and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, already includes academic publisher Emerald Publishing; research usability and dissemination specialist Research Media; and learning and development resources division Good Practice.

Towards Maturity, which was added on 31st May, runs the longitudinal Benchmark Study. Described as 'the largest learning strategy benchmark in the world', this has been fed by data from more than 5,500 organisations and 35,000 learners since its inception in 2003.

Following the acquisition, the company will continue to operate as an independent business, led by CEO Laura Overton, who comments: 'Our independent benchmark programme supports business impact through learning innovation and has now reached 55 countries. The support of a global business and research network will help take the important work of the community to a bigger stage'.

Emerald Group says the buy 'reflects its aim to help business professionals and managers learn and make decisions based on the best evidence', in a world where organizations and their staff 'need to continuously relearn and upskill' to meet the challenges and opportunities of the digital world.

CEO Richard Bevan comments: 'We've been extremely impressed by the work of Towards Maturity over the last 14 years, in advancing understanding among the professional learning community and helping organizations use learning data to directly improve their business performance'.

Web sites: www.emeraldgroup.com and www.towardsmaturity.org/benchmark .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.