Enforcing the Toubon Law of August 4, 1994

This law requires the use of French in all software used by French companies.

In July, Danone employees took legal action so that it would be compulsory for their software, until that time in English, to be translated.

“We are very pleased; we fought a battle which was not easy, but in the end we were right to have gone ahead,” said Mario Pisanu, representative of the CGT union.

More than 200 people had been required to use the software and some of them did not speak English. So now, Danone staff are relieved.

“It was a real obstacle for employees who do not speak that language, and a form of discrimination,” Pisanu pointed out.

The management had suggested translating the glossaries but employee representatives thought that would be difficult to implement.

So the company has 6 months to translate all of the software into French, or face a fine of €1000.

Danone has decided to appeal the decision, claiming that the translation is not necessary as the departments had been functioning very well with software in English.

A story worth following…