Welsh language
The attitude towards the use of Welsh within business has developed over the past decade.
The attitude towards the use of Welsh within business has developed positively over the past decade, particularly among national, consumer-facing companies with a presence in Wales. However, it remains the case that very few companies can make a convincing business case for investing in bilingual service provision. Those companies that do currently provide bilingual services generally do so out of a commitment to Wales and their Welsh customers, and a belief that such commitment will generate goodwill towards the business, including among non-Welsh speaking customers, and will ultimately benefit their business. However, they are unable to calculate any return on their investment and the use of their Welsh language services is extremely low.
The CBI sees general support for the concept of greater bilingualism among its members in Wales. The challenge is translating this into greater actual usage by consumers. We strongly support the government's view, expressed in the consultation, that the great majority of private sector companies should be encouraged to increase their use of Welsh on a voluntary basis, and indeed would prefer it if this approach were taken to all companies. In a situation where companies cannot identify a measurable return on their investment in bilingual service provision then government can help in two ways: by reducing the costs of providing bilingual services; and by increasing demand among the customer base or by helping to provide evidence of the business case.
