A new Bible to help businesses navigate through Babel is welcomed by DAVID HARBOURNE, director of the Learning and Skills Council North Yorkshire.

MAKING the effort to communicate effectively with colleagues, suppliers and clients is absolutely essential to organisational success - and the challenge becomes even greater when the language we need to use isn't English!

I have just visited the Belgian Parliament, which works in Flemish and French. The potential for misunderstandings - both linguistic and cultural - is a real minefield for lawyers in Belgium. As a result, they employ 150 specialist lawyers whose main job is to make sure new laws mean exactly the same thing in both languages.

The experience reminded me again of the perils facing British businesses aiming to trade overseas. As business becomes increasingly globalised, the need to break down cultural and language barriers as a way of doing successful deals is more and more important.

While many businesses throughout York and North Yorkshire are already successfully exporting their products and services, it is clear that there is huge potential for growth. At the moment, this potential is limited by a relative lack of support for other languages in and around North Yorkshire.

The good news is that help will soon be at hand.

Last year, funding from Yorkshire Forward enabled the Learning and Skills Council and the Regional Language Network to carry out detailed research into current and future demand for languages and cultural understanding in York and North Yorkshire.

The purpose of the research was to get the answers to three main questions - how many businesses already have links with organisations in countries where English is not the first language? What kind of training and support do those businesses need? Finally, what contribution do language skills make to business success, particularly as far as exporting is concerned?

The message came back loud and clear: There is a demand for more support in this area and, as a result, the LSC North Yorkshire has funded the creation of a directory of businesses and individuals providing language support.

Businesses with internet access will be able to find the support they need with a click of their mouse, as the directory will be available in both map-based format on the web and in hard copy. Forty language providers - ranging from large businesses through to self-employed individuals - have already been identified for inclusion in the directory, and it is hoped that list will grow as the work progresses.

There is no doubt that many business in York and North Yorkshire will value the chance to source their language needs close to home, and the directory will also support economic development within the sub-region by promoting the growing sector of language-related businesses.

For further information phone the Regional Language Network Yorkshire and the Humber on 0114 281 3450.

Updated: 13:24 Tuesday, April 27, 2004