Characteristics of Translation Service Standard EN 15038:2006. Advantages for translation service providers and benefits for customers from its application.

Standard EN 15038 which was adopted in 2006 by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) lays down the framework for compliance of translation services with the main requirements which all respected companies operating in the field of translation should follow and even surpass if possible. This European standard lays down requirements for translation service providers (TSP) regarding human and technical resources, quality and project management, contractual framework and procedures, though it has to be noted that interpretation services fall outside its scope.
In order to obtain a certificate for compliance with the above-mentioned standard an independent certifying company should audit the TSP. In the course of each audit the following characteristics are considered:

1. Human resources (the organizational structure of the TSP, human resource management, types of positions, competence and professional qualification, selection procedures, responsibilities and duties related to each working position, etc.).

2. Technical resources (IT infrastructure, network and application support, ensuring an uninterrupted working process, creating and maintaining backup copies, access to sources and means of information, means to implement translation projects, providing server and desktop applications, etc.).
3. Quality management system (preliminary estimates of the system objectives, quality monitoring and control process, regulated procedures to take corrective measures, allowing subsequent corrections, adopted method to process on-going information for a given translation project and the materials supplied by the customer, documented rules for the interaction between the various departments from taking the order until delivering the translation, etc.).

4. Relations between customers and translation service providers (ensuring documented procedures to view and analyze translation queries, determining the ability to implement the project, making offers, concluding contracts with customers, invoicing and means of payment).

5. Applicable procedures for translation services (translation project management, project registering, preliminary text processing if necessary, content analysis, technical resource provision, selecting translators and editors, checking, editing, correcting, etc.).

6. Added value services (supplementary and ancillary services offered by the translation agency, for example legalization, certification by a notary public, updating, localization, transcription, dubbing, reverse translation, etc.).

The certificate is issued for a pre-determined period and each renewal requires a new audit by an independent certifying company. All of this ensures constant compliance of the services offered with the EU-wide requirements.

I. Main advantages for the TSP:

- Developing and maintaining a good image, strengthening and enhancing the market position, opportunity to operate on international markets.

- Easy recognition by customers, winning their trust, attracting loyal customers.

- Aiming at constantly developing and improving the working processes and systems. Developing and taking up new products and enhancing the range of services.

- Achieving better marketing and financial results, lowering costs, better direction and management of investments.

- Opportunities to participate in public procurement tendering procedures (national and European) which require certification under standard EN 15038:2006. Establishing and developing working relations with public authorities.

II. Benefits for customers requesting such services:

- Guaranteed quality of the services provided.

- Opportunities to use different kinds of services with a single order.

- Easier choice among companies on the market by private customers.

- Reliability and security for large corporate customers with constant translation needs.

- Guaranteed confidentiality when handling the provided documents.

- Improved financial results of corporate customers through employing quality cost-effective services, greater choice of language combinations, larger set of text-processing applications and computer-assisted translation tools.

Introducing the standard EN 15038:2006 made a significant impact on the translation sector and allowed the services provided across Europe to be harmonized by introducing rules and requirements valid for all. All of this is entirely in the interest of customers who can now make quick and informed choices.

We in Translation and Localization Company arte.doc are proud that we are certified to provide services in compliance with the above-mentioned standard and we believe that by providing a large scope of quality services requested by customers we contribute to business development as a whole and specifically to developing a translation culture.