19
November
2019
|
16:54
Europe/London

BT marks 25 years of its pioneering Welsh language policy

[Scroll down for Welsh language version]

BT is marking a quarter of a century since it established its Welsh language policy.

In 1994, BT became one of the first large private companies in the UK to adopt a voluntary bilingual policy in relation to the Welsh language, supporting the more than half a million Welsh speakers in Wales currently.

BT provides Welsh language customer service helplines, including directory enquires, and produces bills in Welsh for those who request it.

BT’s Welsh language policy was introduced to meet customer expectations and make sure that a reliable bilingual service was available to those who wanted to receive services in Welsh.

The BT policy has received praise from organisations across Wales for its commitment to both the language and communities. BT is encouraging more Welsh-speaking customers to use the services on offer.

There are currently around 570,000 Welsh speakers in Wales (approximately 20% of the population) and more than 100,000 in other parts of the UK. The Welsh government has set a target of a million people being Welsh speakers by 2050.

Welsh Language Commissioner Aled Roberts will join BT staff in Bangor, who manage the company’s Welsh language helpline, to mark the milestone.

Commenting on the anniversary, Nick Speed, BT Group Director for Wales, said: “We are very proud of the fact that, 25 years ago, we were one of the first, large companies to introduce a Welsh language policy.

“BT has a big presence in Wales, so the ability to communicate with our customers in the language in which they are most comfortable is important to us as a company. Supporting the use of Welsh is good for the language, and for us as a business.

“But we want to encourage more Welsh speakers and learners to use these services. We are working therefore with the Commissioner to develop our policy, and make sure it lays the foundations for the next twenty-five years.”

The Welsh Language Commissioner Aled Roberts said: “It’s great to celebrate this milestone in BT's Welsh language services.

“As we celebrate the successes of the past 25 years, the anniversary is an opportunity to look forward, and think about new and innovative ideas for developing the Welsh language services further.”

In relation to the Welsh language, BT provides:

  • a Welsh Language Helpline - 0800 800 288 - for residential customers who wish to contact BT about sales, repair, billing and broadband

  • a 24 hour directory enquiry service in the Welsh language on 118 404

  • bills and invoices in Welsh or English, in line with customers’ wishes

  • Welsh-speaking staff available for operator services 100, emergency services 999 and international operator services 155

  • ‘Work Welsh’ courses for staff interested in learning the language with the National Centre for Learning Welsh

  • corporate publications issued by BT in Wales in both Welsh and English

Notes

  1. Across Wales in 2017/18, BT Group:

  • Directly employed a total of 4,400 people (FTE, including contractors) and supported an estimated 11,600 full-time jobs

  • Spent £300 million with suppliers based in Wales

  • Generated £900 million total GVA impact (including indirect and induced effects)

  • Directly employed 1 in every 180 employees in the private sector across Wales, and 1 in every 10 in the IT and Communications sectors

  • Supported £1 in every £70 of GVA in the Welsh economy and 1 in every 70 employees working in the nation’s private sector.

 

BT yn dathlu 25 mlynedd ers sefydlu polisi arloesol iaith Gymraeg

Mae BT yn dathlu chwarter canrif ers i'r cwmni sefydlu polisi iaith Gymraeg.

Ym 1994, BT oedd yn un o'r cwmnïau mawr preifat cyntaf yn y DU i gyflwyno polisi dwyieithog gwirfoddol, sy’n cefnogi'r mwy na hanner miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd.

Mae BT yn darparu llinellau cymorth Gymraeg i gwsmeriaid – yn cynnwys gwasanaeth ymholiadau cyfeiriadur – ac yn cynhyrchu biliau yn Gymraeg i'r rhai sy'n dymuno hynny.

Cyflwynodd BT bolisi iaith Gymraeg er mwyn ymateb i'r galw gan gwsmeriaid, ac i sicrhau bod gwasanaeth dwyieithog dibynadwy ar gael i'r rheini a oedd am dderbyn gwasanaethau gan y cwmni trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg.

Mae'r polisi wedi derbyn canmoliaeth gan sefydliadau ledled Cymru am ei ymrwymiad i'r iaith ac i gymunedau. Mae BT am annog mwy o gwsmeriaid sy'n siarad Cymraeg i ddefnyddio'r gwasanaethau sydd ar gael.

Ar hyn o bryd, mae tua 570,000 o siaradwyr Cymraeg yng Nghymru (tua 20% o'r boblogaeth) a mwy na 100,000 mewn rhannau eraill o'r DU. Mae llywodraeth Cymru wedi gosod targed o gyrraedd miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050.

Bydd Comisiynydd y Gymraeg Aled Roberts yn ymuno â staff BT ym Mangor, sy’n rheoli llinell gymorth Cymraeg y cwmni, i nodi’r garreg filltir.

Wrth nodi'r penblwydd, dywedodd Nick Speed, Cyfarwyddwr BT Group yng Nghymru: “Rydym yn falch iawn o’r ffaith mai ni, pum mlynedd ar hugain yn ôl, oedd un o’r cwmnïau mawr cyntaf i gyflwyno polisi iaith Gymraeg.

“Mae gan BT bresenoldeb sylweddol yng Nghymru, felly mae’r gallu i gyfathrebu â’n cwsmeriaid yn yr iaith y maent fwyaf cyfforddus ynddi yn bwysig iawn i ni fel cwmni. Mae hybu defnydd o'r Gymraeg yn dda i'r iaith, ac i ni fel busnes.

“Ond, rydym eisiau annog mwy o siaradwyr a dysgwyr Cymraeg i ddefnyddio’r gwasanaethau hyn. Rydym yn gweithio felly gyda'r Comisiynydd i ddatblygu ein polisi, ac i sicrhau ei fod yn gosod y sylfeini ar gyfer y pum mlynedd ar hugain nesaf.”

Dywedodd Comisiynydd y Gymraeg Aled Roberts: “Mae’n braf dathlu’r garreg filltir yma yng ngwasanaethau Cymraeg BT.

“Yn ogystal â dathlu llwyddiannau’r chwarter canrif diwethaf, mae’r pen blwydd yn gyfle i edrych ymlaen ac i feddwl am syniadau newydd ac arloesol ar gyfer datblygu’r gwasanaethau Cymraeg ymhellach.”

O safbwynt y Gymraeg, mae BT yn darparu:

  • Llinell Gymorth Iaith Gymraeg – 0800 800 288 – ar gyfer cwsmeriaid preswyl sy'n dymuno cysylltu â BT ynghylch archebion, atgyweirio, bilio a band eang

  • gwasanaeth ymholiadau cyfeiriadur 24 awr yn yr iaith Gymraeg ar 118 404

  • biliau ac anfonebau yn Gymraeg neu yn Saesneg, yn unol â dymuniadau cwsmeriaid

  • staff Cymraeg eu hiaith ar gael ar gyfer gwasanaeth cysylltydd 100, gwasanaeth brys 999 a gwasanaeth cysylltydd rhyngwladol 155

  • cyrsiau ‘Work Welsh’ ar gyfer staff sydd â diddordeb mewn dysgu’r iaith gyda’r Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol

  • cyhoeddiadau corfforaethol BT yng Nghymru yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg

Nodiadau

  1. Ar draws Cymru yn 2017/18, bu BT Group yn gyfrifol am:

  • Cyflogi yn uniongyrchol cyfanswm o 4,400 o bobl (FTE, gan gynnwys contractwyr) ac yn cefnogi cyfanswm o 11,600 o swyddi llawn amser

  • Gwario £ 300 miliwn gyda chyflenwyr yng Nghymru

  • Cynhyrchu cyfanswm gwerth GVA o £900 miliwn (gan gynnwys effeithiau anuniongyrchol ac ysgogedig)

  • Cyflogi yn uniongyrchol 1 o bob 180 o weithwyr yn y sector preifat ledled Cymru, ac 1 o bob 10 yn y sectorau TG a Chyfathrebu

  • Cefnogi £1 ym mhob £ 70 o GYC yn economi Cymru ac 1 o bob 70 o weithwyr yn gweithio yn sector preifat y genedl.

 

Boilerplate

About BT

BT’s purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. BT consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer, Enterprise, Global and Openreach.

For the year ended 31 March 2019, BT Group’s reported revenue was £23,428m with reported profit before taxation of £2,666m.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London stock exchange.

For more information, visit www.btplc.com