ISO 17100 – The NEW Translation Services Standard

Over recent years, the BS EN 15038:2006 Translation Management Standard has provided the translation industry with significant value.

Whether it is to reinforce best practice or for marketing purposes, ISO Quality Services Ltd has worked closely alongside many organisations looking to achieve this European standard.

Due to this demand, in 2011 the International organization for standardization (ISO) started developing a new, internationally recognised Management Standard with the outcome being the new ISO 17100:2015.

Launched with very little publicity, the ISO 17100:2015 Translation Services Management Standard is based on the BS EN 15038 but with some key differences.

What’s new within the ISO 17100:2015?

A key difference is that there is an additional competence requirement in the form of ‘Domain Confidence’. This involves being able to translate into the target language using appropriate style and terminology.

Another key difference is that there is a far greater focus on the customer so as to bring it closer to the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard. Examples of which include:

• The identifying of the key customer requirements prior to production
• The handling and processing of customer feedback and,
• The delivering of the service as a whole.

Although Machine Translation (MT) is not directly addressed, with a greater focus on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction, any discrepancies in terms of quality will be subsequently addressed as part of the ISO 17100 standard’s processes and procedures.

What does this mean for the BS EN 15038?

The new ISO 17100 Translation Services Management Standard effectively supersedes the old European standard.

This means that any company looking to implement a translation standard should look to the ISO 17100.

With regards to companies who already hold the BS EN 15038, it is advised that you contact your certifier to agree the steps going forward.

Existing clients need not worry; all clients that hold the former standard will be contacted and subsequently supported through the transition process.

Here at ISO Quality Services Ltd we are currently mapping the changes between the BS EN 15038 and the new ISO 17100 to make it as seamless as possible for those with the original standard already in place.

We expect to be implementing the new standard for both existing and new clients from the beginning October onwards.

If you are an existing or prospective business seeking more information please contact us today on 01905 670303 or email on info@isoqsltd.com

ISO Quality Services Ltd are proud to specialise in the implementation and certification of the Internationally recognised ISO and BS EN Management Standards.

Primarily working with clients throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland, ISO Quality Services Ltd also cover Europe and the UAE.

Do you want to get ahead of your competition? Win more tenders or save time and money on reoccurring issues? Contact us today!