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Discover our wide range of services designed to help you comply with language laws!
The Internet has drastically changed the business landscape. It has never been easier to work abroad or with other countries. An on-site subsidiary is not even strictly necessary for managing employees!
In the era of remote work, it has become commonplace for organizations to have virtual teams with matrix management distributed around the world. In these companies, operations are no longer concentrated in a single location, but distributed throughout the organization, which operates as a network. The Charter of the French Language recognizes the reality of these companies and does not interfere with their activities.
Make the Law's flexibility work for you
Since 2005, GP Conceptal has specialized in managing Charter of the French Language compliance processes for international clients that use English on a daily basis. We intervene in these complex files to strike a balance between the use of English (or any other language) and the obligation to generalize the use of French set by the Office québécois de la langue française—the organization mandated to apply the law.
We propose integration models and solutions that allow you to comply with the requirements of the Charter of the French Language while respecting your company’s culture, structure and practices.
The three keys to our approach
GP Conceptal’s expertise is one of a kind. We know how the OQLF handles files internally and we have even helped to improve their processes through our practices. We have made Charter compliance the cornerstone of our service offering.
We leverage everyone’s strengths and work with your employees at every level: human resources, legal services, operations or even IT. By combining our mutual expertise, we create a process that aligns with your culture and corporate model. This makes it easier to work together to find the best solutions and arguments to present to your assigned OQLF adviser who represents you before decision-makers at the Office.
GP Conceptal is proficient in how to comply with the law and use its various exceptions, if necessary; we know the practices accepted by the OQLF and those permitted by law. Our approach allows companies that are very active in foreign markets to continue working in English, in full compliance with the law, in many cases.
Special agreements make it possible, under certain conditions, to be exempt from the goal of generalization of French in head offices, headquarters and research centres, for positions that must work in English more often than in French, which is not otherwise permitted under the law that requires you to generalize the use of French, even after considering various aspects of tolerance.
GP Conceptal chooses compliance with the law rather than Francization. The nuance is important. The idea is not to blindly Francize the company, but to use French wisely in the company, while striving for compliance with the Charter of the French Language.
With us, there are no evasive or delaying tactics. We are exclusively committed to sound and constant management of compliance in a specific framework that takes into account the requirements of the law and the company’s culture and situation. This includes policies that clearly prioritize French (procurement, technologies and human resources), monitoring the Francization committee and the program measures. Charter compliance becomes a process integrated directly in the company’s operations management, as it is part of its infrastructure and activities.
Here is an overview of the activities required to achieve compliance
Assessing communication flows in all the company’s activities to respectfully present and justify the requirement to know a language other than French (sections 46 and 46.1)
Developing a Francization program, in the event of non-compliance.
Developing special agreements,
as necessary.
Adapting policies and
procedures.
Writing implementation reports and other compliance-related documents.
Managing or providing support in the negotiation process in discussions with the OQLF.
Chairing or helping to form an internal Francization committee for companies of at least 100 employees.
Performing a website assessment and monitoring based on the company’s development.
Ensuring close tracking of deadlines and commitments for compliance.
Our services in three packages
Leverage our indispensable expertise, experience and strategy to help your company create and monitor your compliance process.
Our three service formats
Option 1
Integrated services
GP Conceptal designs solutions to meet the applicable compliance obligations under the Charter of the French Language, directly represents your company, manages the entire process, coordinates with external partners, develops and monitors a Francization program and manages your company’s relations with the Office québécois de la langue française under all circumstances.
Management Service: Chantal Larouche is a member of your management designated by your company board of directors and personally serves as Francization Director, providing specialized internal management of the permanent language compliance process.
Professional Services: To help the Francization Director fulfil her duties, a project manager assigned to your file analyzes your company’s communications flows as well as the need to use another language in its activities, as applicable, to propose a personalized compliance framework.
How this package benefits your company
| File continuity: staff turnover can affect file monitoring and continuity. |
| Direct link with your company’s board of directors: the appointed Francization Director can engage the company in preliminary discussions with the true decision-makers. |
| Unparallelled expertise: Chantal Larouche’s knowledge, expertise, experience and persistence are unparalleled in this position and carry weight with senior management. |
Option 2
Consultation
GP Conceptal serves as consultant for your company and provides integration advice regarding your compliance obligations under the Charter of the French Language, on the process and on the various steps required to start your Francization process.
GP Conceptal provides advice to help advance the process, but does not serve as your representative with the Office québécois de la langue française.
Option 3
Support
GP Conceptal works with the representative designated by company management and answers their questions regarding obligations for Francization process compliance, the various steps required to start a Francization process as well as questions regarding the good relations that should be maintained with the Office québécois de la langue française.
We handle the specific questions that may arise in all steps of the process, including those concerning the role of the representative designated with the Office québécois de la langue française. Our support is different from what is offered by the Office adviser, focused on certification, because it is entirely personalized to effectively support your internal representative in their role with the Office.
Are you an exception?
Do you need sustained support in your Charter compliance process? Is the information provided by the OQLF inapplicable to your company structure? You might be an exception. Tell us about your situation by answering a few questions. It only takes five minutes!
What does it mean to comply with the Charter?
First and foremost, it's a matter of following the law—the Quebec Charter of the French Language—and making its flexibility work for you.
Although compliance is restrictive, it also has its advantages:
Makes Quebec employees more motivated and committed.
Shows your desire to fully integrate into Quebec society.
Strengthens your company's identity.
Lends the prestige of the French language brand.
Maintains your tax credits and subsidies.
Provides access to the wider francophone market.
Ensures your company can respond to calls for tender.
Offers an opportunity to work and collaborate with other companies in compliance with your process.
A key system!
Above all, companies doing business in Quebec must understand that compliance with the Charter of the French Language is an ongoing process that begins when the company is created and ends when it ceases to exist. Companies need a permanent system to ensure they are constantly complying with the law. Essentially, we are offering to establish this system.
