Bridging the Language Gap to Promote Renewable Energy

How a customized interpreting solution led to successful and productive international cooperation

The use of renewable energy is on the rise worldwide as a clean and sustainable alternative to non-renewable energy sources, which cannot be replenished, are damaging to the environment, and are becoming prohibitively expensive. The role of our client, an intergovernmental organization established in the Middle East, is to promote the use of clean energy and to help implement best practices globally. In order to do this, however, the client’s message has to transcend language barriers. And that’s where our ad-hoc interpreting solution comes in – transcending language barriers and allowing our client to transmit knowledge successfully.

Executive Summary

In addition to encouraging the use of clean energy, our client is setting a real benchmark for best practices in countries that are not only seeking to develop policies and procedures for renewable energy but are also pushing to implement this energy. Our client acts as an intelligence center that shares professional advice, resources, technology, and financial knowledge on any matter associated with the various phases of adopting renewable energy. Data and information on bioenergy, geothermal energy, hydropower, solar and wind energies, and wave-energy technology are available for countries and international organizations that are willing to promote a cleaner future for the world.

Our client’s mission is particularly important given the increasing pressure to reduce dependence on non-sustainable energy, fight climate change, and work towards achieving a low-carbon economy. We feel the urgency of these demands and have been working with our client since 2012 to help them overcome the international challenges linked to the client’s call for renewable energy.

Challenges

Our client organizes regular international events attended by senior state officials from various nations (prime ministers, ambassadors, heads of state). These meetings require a pool of thirty interpreters covering a total of six language combinations, and working in various sessions that take place, in parallel, over the course of four days – quite a demanding situation for an LSP team. The main meetings usually have an audience of around one thousand, while smaller meetings generally attract around three hundred fifty delegates.

But the challenge doesn’t end there. For events like these to run without a hitch and be fruitful, it’s essential for the interpreting support to be efficiently organized. Finding the best interpreting talent with a working knowledge of renewable energy terminology and a thorough understanding of the complexity of the situation is far from easy. Moreover, any perceived flaws in interpreting could lead to diplomatically sensitive situations. In addition to ensuring that interpreters are suitably prepared, the LSP organization must also consider arranging the experts in teams, pairs, or groups that can be rotated for more effective time management, while delivering the best performance – this is particularly important when the program and timetables are challenging. Another point to consider is that the LSP has to find the perfect balance of compromise between the client and the interpreting team, given that, despite the client’s thorough planning, it is fairly typical for these events to run late so that a resolution can be reached.

Interpreters also need to prepare for events in advance. This preparation requires suitable resources – such as relevant documents and glossaries – and proper instructions to guarantee the best performance by interpreters. This aspect also falls under the umbrella of the organizational tasks carried out by an LSP.

Technology is also of paramount importance at any interpreting event. All the required technical checks must be made to avoid any hiccups in the systems, and it must be ensured that the interpreters have mastered the tools they will need to use. Finally, the LSP has to organize the logistics for an event and provide appropriate accommodations and transport for the interpreters, at a competitive price for the client.

How CPSL Helped

In order to successfully respond to this challenge, fulfil the client’s needs, and bridge the language gaps at these international events, CPSL established a three-phase process:

• Phase 1 – recruitment. CPSL identified the best interpreting talent that was capable of meeting the client’s expectations and requirements. Thanks to our Vendor Management team, which has access to the most experienced language experts around the world, we were able to put together two interpreting teams of 30 and 15 specialists for working, respectively, at the bigger events and at the council-type meetings.
• Phase 2 – training and validation. In order to guarantee the smoothest experience for the client, for attendees at the events, and for the interpreting team, CPSL had to make sure that the interpreters had sufficient information about both the type of event and the sector. Our interpreters therefore underwent a thorough approval process, which was prepared in close cooperation with the client.
• Phase 3 – negotiation. A specialist team mediated between the interpreting team and the client, thereby efficiently tackling any potential communication problems and unforeseen circumstances. For example, if an interpreting team identified any gaps in knowledge at the last minute, the LSP was responsible for filling those gaps and getting relevant feedback from the client. Pre-event meetings were held to inform interpreters about all aspects of the meetings. Interpreters were also provided with a schedule and with resources and documents pertaining to the sector, in addition to terminology. Any questions they had were also addressed. During the event, other meetings were held to resolve on-site issues, such as last-minute arrangements, schedule changes, and any other matters.

The event was a great success. Even so, a post-event meeting was organized to analyze various situations that arose during the event, with the aim of outdoing our performance through continuous improvement. It is always essential to gather feedback from both interpreters and the client after such events so that the quality of the interpreting service, the terminology used, and flexibility can all be reviewed. The lessons learned from post-event meetings are essential for improving the processes behind interpreting solutions and for incorporating the best practices that help operations run flawlessly.

Results, Return on Investment, and Future Plans

Thanks to CPSL’s strategy, which was efficiently planned and executed, the client has been able to convert challenges into opportunities and establish themselves as a leading advocate of renewable energies. At the same time, CPSL has satisfied the client’s needs and earned their loyalty – evidenced by the fact that we have now been collaborating since 2012, and the client has consistently renewed our services. CPSL has been able to implement a customized process, thereby selecting the most suitable interpreters from among its global portfolio of experts and verifying their experience and suitability for events. This process could be adapted to other sectors and requirements. The success of these international meetings has paved the way for ongoing accomplishments in the field of renewable energy and for increasing dialogue between countries. The excellent service provided by our interpreting teams has helped raise awareness of the subject and has stimulated interest and participation at a global level.