Introduction

The global workforce spans 3.4 billion people, and there’s no way a one-size-fits-all solution can cater to the diversity at the workplace anymore. 

Diversity in the workplace is a strength, allowing businesses to attract the best talents around the world, operate with local knowledge and insights, develop cultural sensitivity in their marketing efforts, and amp up productivity and output by combining different expertise and experiences.

Here’s some real data that shows how a diverse company outperforms a business without diversity: 

> Diversity in the workplace leads to a 2.5 times increase in cash flow per employee.

> The productivity of diverse teams increases by almost 35%.

> In 2019, businesses in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity outscored those in the bottom quartile by a margin of 36% in terms of profitability.

Even in the field of EHS, diversity and inclusion result in better results and productivity.  Different cultures and backgrounds inspire creativity and innovation. At the same time, communication can pose a major challenge when people come from different backgrounds speaking different languages.

Communication is the central aspect of a safe workplace. Each worker must play their part in communicating effectively to provide and receive directions, issue warning against impending dangers, follow emergency response actions, avoid actions that may be unsafe, and make the most of the safety training program

The benefits businesses reap from a thorough EHS program may be stunted by their workers' speaking and comprehension skills limitations. For this reason, there’s a need for digital transformation in EHS with tools that support language internationalization. They will remove language barriers, boost safety and EHS productivity, and promote diversity and cultural inclusivity in the workplace.

This whitepaper discusses the need and importance of language internationalization through various aspects of EHS Programs. We’ll also address the common challenges in implementing language internationalization and reveal some best practices.