Delivering an effective Welsh language service in Wales

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is committed to delivering an effective Welsh language service in Wales, in line with the commitments made in our Welsh Language Scheme 2019-22.

Providing a meaningful service in Wales, that treats the Welsh Language no less favourably or on an equal footing to those services provided in English, requires a skilled workforce that can work bilingually. To maintain this skilled bilingual workforce, we must attract and retain Welsh speaking staff across all FSA in Wales teams and professions as well as offer existing staff the opportunity to participate in training to develop or improve their Welsh language skills.

Our Welsh Language Skills Strategy will help us to manage and plan staff language skills. It covers the following key areas:

• Improving the bilingual services we provide

• Determining the Welsh language skill level (reading, writing, listening and speaking) required for teams and posts across the FSA in Wales

• Recruiting individuals with the appropriate level of Welsh language skills for all post being advertised

• Promoting and celebrating a bilingual workplace ethos, both internally and externally, with the view to attracting and retaining bilingual staff

• Increasing opportunities for staff to develop their Welsh language skills and build their confidence.

Our aim is to ensure that our Welsh language service meets the requirements outlined in the Welsh Language Measure 2011, as they may become directly applicable to the FSA in the future. It should also contribute to Welsh Government’s ambitious target of reaching a Million Welsh Speakers by 2050 and honour the FSA’s commitment to the Well-being of Future Generations Act (Wales) 2015, A Wales of Vibrant Culture and Thriving Welsh Language.