Memberships
Belgian Quality Translation Association
The Belgian Quality Translation Association is a non-profit making organisation founded in 1995 whose members are translation companies established in Belgium. The association pursues the following aims:
- to promote and maintain contact between translation companies in accordance with a strict professional code of ethics;
- to contribute towards enhancing the image and the quality of the language services sector;
- to standardise certain business practices and/or working methods promoting greater transparency for those buying language services;
- to assure the joint representation of members, in particular as regards the Belgian authorities, in all areas related to language services;
- to play an active part in all issues relating to translation at European level, and in particular as regards the preparation of a European quality standard;
- to promote the use of modern translation support tools;
- to safeguard freedom of initiative and the free market in the translation and language services sector in Belgium and to intervene if necessary should restrictive and/or inappropriate plans for regulation be put forward;
- to expose situations involving unfair competition in the language services sector and in the translation sector in particular.
For more info consult: www.bqta.be
Federgon
Federgon is a federation of partners working in the employment sector. It groups recruitment and search and selection companies, outplacement companies, temporary agencies, project and deployment companies and temporary management companies. Federgon is the federation representing those sectors that actively apply the Optimal Use of Human Capital.
Its main mission is to promote the common interests of the Federgon sectors by:
- Representing these sectors and defending their interests;
- Analysing and pinpointing relevant environmental factors;
- Ensuring an appropriate image of the sectors among companies, employees, jobseekers, governments, trade unions and the public;
- Taking initiatives that will benefit the development of the sectors;
- Policing the respect of the regulations within the sector.
Federgon also provides services to its members. These Federgon services include providing advice, training and specific information about social, economic and legal questions relating to the core tasks of the affiliated companies. Federgon stands for quality and professionalism. All members are treated equally and professionally.
For more info consult: www.federgon.be
VOV
VOV is a network of training professionals whose aim is to promote Training and Development within companies and organisations. They support their members by improving their skills that they can in turn use to improve their working environment.
Goals:
- Networking between members
- Enhancing professionalism
- Sharing knowledge and experience
- Multitude of different learning approaches
- Informal
- Networking with sister organisations both at home and abroad
VOV is a member of ETDF (European Training and Development Federation) and ASTD (American Society for Training and Development).
Making links! VOV is a network of people who help each other to find solutions in the field of Training and Development.
VOV’s aim is to ensure the dynamism of the network so that everyone can benefit from the experience and knowledge of others in a win-win situation. Each member can learn in a confidential and informal manner through the exchange of knowledge and experiences and thus improve their own level of professionalism.
The members create the dynamics for the association. ‘Giving and taking’ is a key aspect. But making contact is not something that is given, it is something that is taken.
New members flit through the networks making lots of contacts. They have to learn which is the best route for them and how they can make VOV work best for them.
For more info consult: www.vov.be
EUATC
The EUATC is an international organisation and the only one of its kind in Europe representing qualityoriented translation companies. It was established in 1994 and its members are national associations of translation companies.
Objectives
- To promote the highest standards of quality and business practice among member associations
- To provide a strong, united voice for translation companies when addressing governmental and non-governmental institutions in Europe and the rest of the world
- To give translation buyers information and advice about the benefits of commissioning recognised translation companies
- To help solve common issues affecting the translation industry across Europe
- To make a substantial contribution towards enlarging the European market for quality translations
To assist in establishing national associations of translation companies. Individual companies from countries with no national association of their own can still become members of the EUATC for a period of one year, provided they undertake to establish a national association during that period.
To promote co-operation with freelance translators, encouraging smooth procedures and good working relations.
For more info consult: www.euatc.org
Britcham
More than 100 years ago Britcham was established with the aim of being “the force behind the improvement of company interests of our members in Belgium & Europe.”
Britcham's mission is the creation of dynamic company environments for their members in Belgium and Europe by:
- exercising influence on the development of the public policy,
- simplifying networking,
- making use of the potentials of the information society
The British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium has strong ties with the British Embassy in Brussels and the Permanent Representation of the UK with the EU. Also a member of COBCOE (Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Continental Europe).
Due to this, the Chamber has excellent facilities in the area of networking, which are only made stronger because of the relation with the British Council, the Confederation of British Industry, the British Overseas Trade Board and the Department of Trade and Industry
More info: www.britcham.be
Amcham
AmCham Belgium wants to improve the trade and investment opportunities for American enterprises in Belgium and the European Union.
By means of lobbying, networking and knowledge sharing, AmCham Belgium facilitates trade for American and other member enterprises.
Aims and objectives:
AmCham Belgium’s mission reflects four aims:
- being the voice of American companies
- exercise influence on Belgian and EU policies
- acquire members and maintain them
- increase trade and investments in Belgium
It is AmCham’s task to create an added value for its members, all the while staying relevant for their differing and changing needs. How do they go about it? AmCham’s board of management has drawn up a framework of key activities which guides the six commissions of the Chamber through their annual company plans and day-to-day activities:
- represent members’ business interest to help create policy lines;
- offer reliable viewpoints in order to widen the relations between the public bodies;
- provide announcements and proactive advice to companies;
- strengthen AmCham’s culture based on opportunities for networking;
- promote AmCham’s profile and increase its visibility;
- encourage and follow up on feedback from inside and outside AmCham.
Within this framework the Chamber develops strategies by means of a.o. implementation of events concerning networking and information and meetings, publications, grouping, research and services.
More info: www.amcham.be
Belgian Business Club
The Belgian Business Club is aimed at entrepreneurs who recognise the importance of making cross-border contacts. Networking in an exclusive environment: the Belgian Business Room of PSV, the Dutch football champions.
The mission of the Belgian Business Club reflects that of PSV: to be forward looking. In the majority of business clubs you first have to become a member, then you make contacts hopefully with the ultimate aim of closing a deal. We work the other way round: we bring candidate members into contact with each other once we have ascertained that they are interested in each other’s products and services. This increases the likelihood of them setting up a partnership together.”
For more info consult: www.begianbusinessclub.com
VKW Limburg
For more info consult: www.vkw-limburg.be
VOKA Limburg
For more info consult: www.kvklimburg.voka.be
Epsilon
At the end of 1980, several trainers working mainly in the insurance, banking and public sector joined forces to create an association called GRIEF GRIEF (Groupe Inter Entreprises de Formateurs – Inter-Training Company Group). Each year it organised five different activities whose aim was to foster the exchange of knowledge between its members and encourage the perfection of skills through training. At the end of 1996 it realised that if it was to make significant changes in terms of quality it was vital to breathe new life into the group.
This led to the creation, on 19 June 1997, of the non-profit-making Epsilon Group, an association of training professionals. Its first task was to develop new objectives:
- To encourage exchange networks between all players involved in training and to thus bring together internal trainers within companies as well as external trainers;
- To accentuate the professionalism of the different players involved in training by multiplying the sources of information, exchanges of ideas and training programmes organised within the association or in co-operation with other Belgian or foreign partners.
- To act as representatives for French-speaking trainers and to encourage both national and international exchanges
The association ensured not just a geographical expansion – The Epsilon Group brings together different trainers operating in Brussels and throughout Wallonia – but also sectoral expansion including economic and public services sectors.