In a holding structure the documents are those not of a single company but of a set of interconnected companies. In translation this creates a difference not of scale but of kind: if the same concept is not given the same rendering in every company of the group, it reads in a consolidated report as two different things.
Shareholding structure
The holding company owns shares in other companies. The structure is shown in an organisation chart. The chart appears in the documents.
The distinction between subsidiary and associate
The distinction is made by level of control, and it is visible in the reports. The terms are not confused. Usage is consistent.
Organisation chart
The company names and share ratios in the chart are carried over. Text inside an image is not skipped. The scope is kept complete.
Intra-group contracts
Service, licence and financing agreements are made within the group. These texts are formulaic. A template is used.
Transfer pricing documents
The documentation of intra-group transactions forms a separate set. The texts are loaded with technical and financial terms. Expertise is needed.
Consolidated financial statements
The group statements are presented as a single whole. Account names must be the same across the whole group. The list is kept centrally.
Common account names
If the same item is given a different name in different companies, the consolidation becomes unreadable. Deviations are scanned for. A check is made.
Consistency of trade names
The trade names of the group companies are written the same way in all documents. The use of abbreviations is made subject to a rule. Consistency is audited.
Trade marks and business names
Group trade marks are not translated. If there is a usage guide, it is followed. The rule is preserved.
Board of directors resolutions
Resolutions passed at holding level affect the subsidiaries. The resolutions are read together. The link is preserved.
Chain of authorisation
Who is authorised in which company is traced from the documents. The chain can become complex. A record is kept.
Common term infrastructure
A single termbase is used across the group. A separate list per company produces inconsistency. The structure is central.
Common style guide
The corporate voice is defined at group level. A different style makes the group look divided. The guide is shared.
Multilingual structure
Holdings abroad carry the documents into more than one language. Consistency between languages is checked separately. A layer is added.
Investor communication
Presentation and report texts face outwards. Style and accuracy are observed together. The scope is determined.
Merger and acquisition files
These transactions produce an intense, time-limited flow of documents. Capacity is set aside in advance. A plan is made.
Level of confidentiality
Intra-group documents are in the nature of trade secrets. Access is narrowed. The channel is kept controlled.
The purchasing process
The translation service is usually contracted from the head office, and the whole group uses the same supplier. The structure supports consistency. The arrangement is central.
The gain from central purchasing
When a single supplier and a single term infrastructure are used across the group, both consistency and cost improve; in structures where different companies commission translations separately, the same concept circulates within the group under more than one rendering. The decision is taken centrally. The effect is at group level.
Limits of liability
What is described here is for information purposes and does not replace a legal or financial opinion. The assessment belongs to the authorised professional. The limit is stated.