Environmental Translation Services help you not just “talk green”

May 12, 2023 / Natacha Bordier / Comments Off

Did you ever look at the world as a global neighbourhood? When it comes down to the environment, there is maybe no other lens. Because, as you may have already heard, there is no Planet B.

Global Crisis, Global Context

The environmental policies of one nation can negatively affect others. The practices of a company located at the border of two countries can impact both countries. Imagine if it was rejecting its waste in a river alimenting the water supply of communities living around.

So, many international governing bodies, non-profit organizations, and national governments are trying to implement actions to solve global issues. Companies are also making efforts to be more sustainable. Because it cannot be the responsibility of one country alone, and it cannot be the responsibility of one company alone, too. So, all the actors must find agreements and join their efforts.

And this creates a global movement that we can no longer ignore. As proof of this global commitment, the number of international days has increased in the last 30 years to bring awareness and call out for action, such as World Water Day, Earth Day, and World Environment Day.

Thus, the environment has become the source of a high volume of documents in different communicative contexts and with various target audiences. It’s where environmental translation services play a crucial role. Let’s dive a bit deeper to understand what is at stake.

The Environmental Framework for Translation Services

What is the environment? As per Merriam-Webster, the basic meaning of environment is “that which surrounds”. So, it could be objects, things, or conditions “by which one is surrounded”. And when the term “environment” is preceded by “the”, it refers to the natural world.

Consequently, environment translation is about translating documents related to the environment itself, environmental effects and phenomena, and all the players’ environmental impacts.

What about sustainable development you may think? The environment is indeed only one pillar of sustainability. The two others are social and economic. But these three pillars are intrinsically connected. Any development may not be considered sustainable if one is missing.

Therefore, the environment is an inherent part of sustainable development, and environment translation services englobe it in most cases.

Why Put the Spotlight on Environmental Translation Services?

We could almost speak about the domino effect. International bodies call out nations and corporations and set objectives. Governments edict environmental rules to try to meet these objectives. Corporations develop policies, and their people implement them.

But to make this chain reaction work, international bodies must make their call out and decisions available in all the national languages. Corporations doing business in more than one country must do so too. Because at the end of the chain, people understand and act more when you address them in their native languages.

And for that, environmental translation services fill the gap and create bridges. You may notice that we did not just speak about translation services.

Environmental terminology has seen rapid evolution and expansion over the last recent years. More issues are reaching the public scene. Therefore more buzzwords are created, such as “carbon neutrality”, “particulate pollution”, etc.

In order to effectively communicate your message and have the impact expected, the choice of words matters. The same goes for the original text. How and why words are chosen is never neutral. The style and tone can be assertive or nuanced. For example, you will not have the same impact if you talk about “climate crisis” or “climate change”.

It’s the same for translation. What you need is professionals that will choose the right words. And for that, they must have an in-depth understanding of environmental issues.

The Environment in an Organization

The importance of caring for the environment is no longer a question of debate. Consequently, it’s crucial to be eco-friendly in the business world. Plus, more and more buying decisions are made based on environmental considerations.

This growing corporate environmental awareness generates environmentally friendly measures, implementation of environmental management systems and green strategies. It may be in response to government policies, such as carbon emission targets, or as a proactive positioning from a corporate social responsibility perspective.

But also because we have seen in recent years extreme weather catastrophes, giving birth to a sense of urgency for creating a green economy. Therefore, governments and companies at all levels of our global neighbourhood stepped up and took commitments and actions to achieve their sustainability goals.

Today, the environment is not just the business of international regulatory bodies, NGOs, and benefit corporations specialized in environmental causes. It is part of any organization’s daily life and is even at the origin of new jobs and new industries.

See below a snapshot of new areas of expertise and industries that have emerged in the last 20 years.

Recent types of areas of expertise	Recent industries
Renewable resources (procurement)	Organic and sustainable agriculture
Energy: renewable, alternative, solar, wind, hydropower	Green construction
Waste management: recycling, reusing, recovery	Green tourism
Pollution control and compensation	Renewable energies
Climate change management	Green finance
Sustainable development	Green fashion

This list is absolutely not exhaustive. Its goal is to give you an overview of the evolution since the environment became prominent.

What does it mean in the business world?

In short, traditional corporations incorporate these areas of expertise in their business model, and green industries give birth to new companies. Whichever is the case, a specific set of skills is required. They are called “green skills”.

And the same goes for the translation services. To meet this demand, translation professionals specialized in the environment must have in-depth knowledge of environmental practices, measures, and strategies. Because it’s not just about “green talks”. Words lead to action in any language.

The shift to a green economy is underway. Therefore, green skills are in demand in all industries, starting from the cradle to the grave.

Therefore, the documentation associated with this global movement is exploding. Here are a few examples of documents that your company may or will produce.

Corporate	Examples
Public report	Corporate Social Responsibility Statement Sustainable Development Report Regulatory Compliance Report Public Activity Report
Marketing literature	Sustainable Case Study Environmental Press Release Environmental Content (blog, social posts, etc.) Environmental Communication
Internal documentation	Corporate Environmental Standards Standard Operating Procedures (for waste, etc.) Quality Audits and Processes Employees Training on Sustainability
Health & Safety Documentation	Material Safety Data Sheet Air Quality Control Risk Analysis Hazard Assessment and Management
Certification documents (i.e., ISO Standards, Energy Star, Safer Choice, etc.)	Certification Request Process Certification Criteria Implementation Certification Audit and Tracking Certification Communication Material
Non-corporate	Examples
Research paper	Research Methodology Surveys and Questions Research Studies Research Articles
Educational material	Awareness Campaign Government Actions School Training Material NGO Communications

As you can see, the skill set types required to write these documents are as broad as the types of target audiences. The same applies to translation services.

Professional Environmental Translations Services, an impactful asset

Many studies have proven that providing people with information in their native language is the most effective way of encouraging them to act. If people cannot understand instructions, they are not or barely implemented.

That goes from your suppliers to your front-line teams. And facing your front-line people, you have more and more customers with clear and precise expectations regarding sustainability and the environment.

Plus, as we are a globally interconnected world, your company is at least doing business with vendors and end clients that do not speak your native language. Here is why Professional Translation Services are an asset.

Translators make texts available to a new target audience, so they play a crucial role in their interpretation. Because, as we saw before, the choice of words matters. It will determine the impact of your messaging on your target audience. Thereby the actions that will follow.

Depending on your industry and the purpose of your material, you may need an environmental marketing translator or a combination of legal and biology translation skills. Or you may target an academic public and will require a translator used to address this type of audience.

Whatever the case is, the translation services you recruit must be aware and knowledgeable about the terminology and the practices used by organizations to be or become green. The environmental translation is a cross-disciplinary field. It requires specialized people, and even sometimes, a combination of skills and a team effort. Because you want your translated documents to be impactful.

Hiring Professional Environmental Translation Services

In our global neighbourhood, anyone’s action impacts everyone, with your stakeholders first in line. So, you do not want to just be talking green in the different languages you’re doing business with. You want to have the same impact as in your native language.

That is why hiring professional environmental services is not only an asset for your public relations, but also a cornerstone of your corporate social responsibility, wherever you are in the world.

At AOT, we create long-term relationships with our clients. We believe it’s the best way to build trust, satisfy your actual needs for language services and ensure consistency in your messaging. We understand the importance of having a good grasp of the environment and its implications.

And we want to help you have a powerful impact on your target audience because we care for the environment and our planet as much as you do.