You get different grades of brake pads (I don't mean Honda or third party). Soft pads give better feel, lower pedal pressures and less miles between changes. Hard pads resist fade better, need more pedal pressure, and subsequently last longer. Perhaps Honda specifies a softer pad for the Mk III than the Mk II. Or perhaps, whoever changes them for your colleague has used third party pads.
My son-in-law fitted a set of pads to my Volvo which were very soft. I was never away from washing dust off the wheels and, needless to say, they didn't last as long as usual.