Why this Commitment?

Interpretation and translation are both processes for communicating information in a different language. Speech is interpreted; writing is translated. 

This commitment encourages the use of professional interpretation and translation and whenever critical information is being shared with employees whose first language is not English.

Examples of critical information include:

• health and safety policies and procedures

• performance evaluation

• emergency preparedness

• payroll and taxes

• colleague conflict and other personnel matters

Complex information can be difficult to understand, even for fluent English speakers. If employees miss this information or misunderstand it, there can be serious consequences for both your company and your team members.

By standardizing the use of interpretation and translation when communicating critical and/or technical information, your team may reduce the risk of misunderstandings that can lead to workplace disputes, turnover, and accidents.

Previous Workplace Inclusion Charter signatories who took steps to incorporate regular use of interpretation in their workplace reported unexpected benefits and told us this commitment is worth investing in.

Evaluation Plan

To complete this commitment, outline in writing:

• Which types of communications (written and verbal) your organization considers critical enough to warrant translation or interpretation. (See resources for our recommendations)

• Steps that will be followed to translate critical documents

• Steps that will be followed to offer interpretation

In January 2025, we will ask you for:

• A copy of the written procedure for use of translation and intepretation

• Documentation showing that the written procedure was shared with your team prior to December 31, 2024

• 1 anecdote (in writing) demonstrating how interpretation and/or translation was used in your business in 2024 and what impact it had

Resources

1. Tips for Working With Interpreters
   

2. Directory of translators and interpreters in Alberta: https://www.atia.ab.ca/directory-search/
   

3. You may wish to encourage employees to request interpretation at critical and/or technical meetings. The following statement has been translated for inclusion in your employee handbook or other materials:

   1. “If your first language is not English, we encourage you to request interpretation for meetings related to training, health and safety information, performance evaluation, or tax forms. Interpreters help people who speak different languages understand each other. They must follow rules and they will not share what you say with anyone else. If you would like interpretation, please contact [organization contact details].”

      1. Add this statement in:

         1. French: Si votre langue maternelle n’est pas l’anglais, nous vous encourageons à faire une demande d’interprétation pour les réunions concernant la formation, les renseignements sur la santé et la sécurité, l’évaluation du rendement ou les formulaires de déclaration fiscale. Les interprètes facilitent la compréhension entre des personnes parlant des langues différentes. Ils sont soumis à des règles et ne communiqueront pas ce que vous dites à qui que ce soit. Si vous souhaitez recourir aux services d’un interprète, veuillez communiquer avec [organization contact details].

         2. Japanese: 英語が母語でない方の場合、研修、安全衛生情報、業績評価、または、確定申告に関連する会議の際、通訳を依頼することを推奨します。通訳者は、異なる言語を話す人々がお互いに理解できるようにお手伝いします。通訳者は、規則に従わなければならず、あなたの発言が他の誰にも共有されることはありません。通訳を希望される方は、 [organization contact details]までご連絡ください。

         3. Tagalog: Kung hindi Ingles ang una mong wika, hinihikayat ka naming humiling ng interpretasyon para sa mga pulong na may kaugnayan sa pagsasanay, impormasyong pangkalusugan at pangkaligtasan, pagsusuri sa pagganap, o mga form sa buwis. Tinutulungan ng mga tagapagsalin-ng wika ang mga taong nagsasalita ng iba-ibang wika na magkaintindihan. Dapat silang sumunod sa mga alituntunin at hindi nila sasabihin sa sino man ang iyong sinasabi. Kung gusto mo ng interpretasyon, mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa [organization contact details].

         4. Spanish: Si su idioma materno no es el inglés, le animamos a solicitar servicios de interpretación para las reuniones relacionadas con capacitación, información sobre salud y seguridad, evaluación de desempeño, o formularios de impuestos. Los intérpretes ayudan a las personas que hablan idiomas diferentes a entenderse. Ellos deben seguir determinadas normas y no compartirán con nadie lo que usted diga. Si desea recibir servicios de interpretación, sírvase comunicarse con [organization contact details].

         5. Korean: 영어가 모국어가 아닌 경우, 교육, 보건 및 안전 정보, 성과 평가 또는 세금 양식과 관련된 회의에 통역 서비스를 요청하길 권장합니다. 통역사는 다른 언어를 사용하는 사람들이 서로를 이해하도록 돕습니다. 통역사는 반드시 규칙을 따라야 하며, 여러분이 발설한 내용을 누구와도 공유하지 않을 것입니다. 통역 서비스를 원하는 경우,  [organization contact details] (으)로 연락하십시오.

         6. Amharic: የመጀመሪያ ቋንቋዎ እንግሊዘኛ ካልሆነ፡ ከስልጠና ጋር፣ ከጤና እና ከደህንነት መረጃ ጋር፣ ከስራ ግምገማ ጋር ወይም ከቀረጥ ቅጾች ጋር ለተያያዙ ስብሰባዎች የትርጉም አገልግሎት እንዲጠይቁ እናበረታታዎታለን። ተርጓሚዎች የተለያየ ቋንቋ የሚናገሩ ሰዎች እርስ በርሳቸው እንዲግባቡ ይረዳሉ። ህጎችን መከተል አለባቸው እንዲሁም እርስዎ የሚናገሩትን ለማንም አያካፍሉም። የትርጉም አገልግሎት ከፈለጉ [organization contact details] ን ያግኙ።

         7. Tigrinya: ናይ መጀመርታ ቛንቋኻ እንግሊዝኛ እንተ ዘይኰይኑ ምስ ስልጠና፣ ምስ ሓበሬታ ጥዕናን ድሕንነትን፣ ምስ ገምጋም ስራሕ፣ ወይ ምስ ናይ ቀረጽ ፎርም ንዚተሓሓዙ ኣኼባታት ናይ ትርጕም ኣገልግሎት ክትሓትት ነተባብዓካ። ተርጐምቲ ነቶም እተፈላለየ ቛንቋታት ዚዛረቡ ሰባት ንሓድሕዶም ንኺረዳድኡ ይሕግዝዎም እዮም። ሕግታት ኪስዕቡ ኣለዎም፡ ነቲ እትብሎ ድማ ንዋላ ሓደ ኣይነግሩን እዮም። ኣገልግሎት ትርጕም ክትረክብ እንተ ደሊኻ በጃኻ ን [organization contact details] ተወከስ።

         8. Oromo: Afaan dhalootaa kee Ingiliffa miti yoo ta’e, walgahiiwwan leenjii, odeeffannoo fayyaa fi nageenyummaa, madaallii gahuumsaa yookin unkawwan qaraxaa wajjin wal qabataniif tajaajila hiika afaanii akka gaafattu si jajjabeessina. Namoonni afaan hiikan, namoonni afaanota garaa garaa dubbatan akka walii walii isaanii hubatan gargaaru. Dambiiwwan hordofuu qabu, akkasumas waanta ati jette nama kan birootf hin qoodu. Hiika afaanii yoo barbaadde, maaloo [organization contact details] qunnami.

Supporting Organization: Settlement Services in the Bow Valley

For support with this commitment, contact:

Heather Bates
Community Connections Supervisor
Settlement Services in the Bow Valley
heather.bates@banff.ca