Looking for a great LSP? Find one that engages with ESG

Suzie Towne 10 Jul 2023 6 mins

Over the past few years, the buzz surrounding sustainability and ESG (that is, investments that consider environmental, social and governance concerns) has grown to a constant roar. More companies in more industries are accepting—and even embracing—commitments to ESG in their investments and operations.

Before we dive in, it’s worth noting the distinction between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and corporate sustainability, which is discussed in detail in this article published by the IMD.

ESG is primarily a risk management and investment framework that seeks to evaluate financial risks that environmental, social, and governance factors pose for an organization’s value – it adopts an “outside-in” perspective. Corporate sustainability, however, adopts an “inside-out” perspective as it focuses on the impact an organization has on the planet and society.

As companies have developed corporate sustainability strategies and embedded sustainability within their organizations, research has shown that these initiatives don’t just make companies feel good—they also add tangible value and can benefit organizations' bottom lines, as laid out in this McKinsey paper.

While mandatory sustainability regulations are still forthcoming across multiple territories, organizations can get a head start on inevitable directives by being proactive about their approach. Those companies that embrace corporate sustainability before it becomes mandatory will benefit from positive reputational impact and competitive advantage—truly, there’s no time to waste.

For organizations that require the assistance of a language services provider (LSP), then, it’s important to find a partner that engages with corporate sustainability. Here’s how (and why) to find an LSP who adheres to and can support your initiatives.

How is sustainability and ESG relevant in the language services industry?

LSPs can pioneer leadership in the following ways:

Environmental: We rely heavily on technology and digital modes of communication. That means we can help our clients reduce the need for travel emissions—by conducting remote interpreting and multilingual video subtitling, for example. Our combination of top-tier technology and years of experience enables us to ensure a positive experience for clients without adding unnecessarily to their carbon footprints.
Social: As an LSP, the very nature of our business is diverse and multicultural. Our core translation and technology activities can help businesses promote understanding and belonging, both internally and externally. We’re a key component in the process of bringing life-saving drugs to new markets, which adds incredible value to society. What’s more, RWS has a proud history of engaging its 8,000 employees in corporate sustainability initiatives, such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) interest groups that form a strong support network of allyship. We also run the fantastic RWS Foundation and RWS Campus programmes to bring positive change and shape the future of our industry.
Governance: We have years of experience working in highly regulated industries—including healthcare, legal and financial services—and extensive experience working with and translating sensitive documentation that is subject to multiple rules and restrictions. We understand requirements around ESG-related disclosure controls and procedures, cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, and we can help companies navigate the often challenging, time-consuming and intimidating regulatory world.

As more businesses expand globally, they will be subject to a growing range of regulatory requirements that they must manage carefully to avoid legal and financial penalties, as well as reputational damage. We’ve seen great success when we partner closely with businesses as they internationalize, so we can proactively help navigate this complex and ever-changing landscape.

What ESG-related services LSPs can provide

Much of the work surrounding corporate sustainability initiatives involves reporting—which is highly regulated in some areas and will certainly be more regulated in others in the future. Companies that do business in multiple countries need reports that all their shareholders can read and understand, regardless of their language of origin.

As you’re seeking an LSP, look for an organization that can provide a full suite of ESG reporting-related services. These can include climate change reporting and risk reporting; employee treatment (HR support, flexible working arrangements, training initiatives, etc.), community support, diversity initiatives and supply chain/partnership reporting; and business continuity planning and stewardship reporting.

Questions to ask your supplier

When selecting an ESG-focused partner, it can be tough to know where to start. What traits or experience are most important? As you choose your own LSP, ask the following questions to gauge experience, expertise and commitment to sustainability:

How many ESG translation projects have you delivered? RWS, for example, has successfully completed hundreds of ESG translation projects for global customers.
What multilingual content can you support/have you supported? Try to gain a comprehensive understanding of the suite of services your LSP can provide and ask for examples of past projects to ensure experience and expertise.
What target languages can you support? Certain countries, and consequently languages, may already have ESG requirements, but it’s certain that compliance with ESG reporting regulations will become a more prevalent concern across the world. Look for LSPs which can support a wide range of target languages. At RWS, for example, we commonly translate ESG reporting documents into English, French, German, Swiss German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, and we can support an additional 180+ languages.
How do you ensure language quality? Look for LSPs which leverage a combination of superior translators with expertise and interest in sustainability and leading technologies—such as linguistic AI, language models, translation memories and terminology dictionaries—to assure scalable quality.
How do you stay apprised of new and/or updated regulations? Ensure your LSP monitors global ESG regulations regularly to accelerate adoption.
What is your company’s commitment to sustainability? Look for companies that “walk the talk” and have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability in their own work. Third-party recognition can affirm these types of commitments. At RWS, for example, we were recently recognized by EthiFinance for exemplary ESG performance, and we’re an EcoVadis silver medal holder. RWS also reports on progress via several globally recognized initiatives and frameworks, including the UNGC (United Nations Global Compact Initiative), CDP, SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting) and TCFD (Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure).

At what stage of the ESG journey is your organization? Just like our clients, we’re also on a journey moving our operations towards a more sustainable future. Many companies already have quite a story to tell! RWS published this ESG Report where you can get a good feel for our commitment and aspirations in this area.

Let RWS be your ESG-friendly LSP

Ready to double-down on your commitment to sustainability? Reach out to RWS to learn more about partnering with a proactive organization that is already known as a leader in sustainability initiatives.

Suzie Towne

Communications Specialist

Suzie Towne, SCMP®, is communications specialist for RWS’s Regulated Industries division and has 10 years of international business communications experience in the language services and localization industry. She is the divisional sustainability and ESG subject matter expert. A native English speaker, Suzie also speaks French, Spanish and some German and is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators.

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