Selecting a language service provider (LSP) is a crucial decision that can impact the success of your localization and language-related projects. One factor to consider when evaluating a potential partner is ISO certification.

There are different ISO certifications for processes such as quality management and information security. They are recognized worldwide and provide a framework for organizations to follow.

 

Benefits of ISO Certifications

ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. It is an independent, non-governmental global organization that develops and publishes international standards for different processes. ISO certifications are awarded based on stringent criteria and regular audits, ensuring they comply with these standards and follow best practices.

Being ISO-certified provides objective evidence of an LSP’s commitment to quality, reliability, and professionalism. They are essential in choosing a language vendor for several reasons:

• Quality Assurance: ISO 9001 is the certification for quality management systems. An LSP with this certification means it has established processes and procedures to deliver high-quality language services consistently.
• Professionalism and Credibility: Being ISO-certified shows that the LSP meets internationally recognized quality standards. And this strengthens its credibility and professional reputation.
• Consistency and Reliability: Choosing an LSP that follows international standards reduces the risk of inconsistent service delivery, ensuring that your language needs will be met consistently over time.
• Data Security and Confidentiality: Information security is critical in language services, which often involve sensitive and confidential information. An ISO 27001-certified LSP demonstrates its commitment to protecting client data and maintaining confidentiality.
• Continuous Improvement: ISO certification is an ongoing process that must be maintained through performance evaluation and regular audits. This focus on constant improvement can lead to better service and increased customer satisfaction.
• Compatibility and Interoperability: ISO certifications show adherence to industry-specific best practices. This can facilitate smoother collaboration, integration, and exchange of files and resources between the LSP and its clients.

 

What ISO Certifications Should a Good Provider Hold?

An LSP can hold several ISO certifications, depending on the services they offer and the industry they operate in. Below are some ISO certifications that are relevant to the language service industry.

General ISO Certifications

These certifications are relevant to all organizations across industries, including language services:

ISO 9001: This quality management system certification shows that the LSP has consistently implemented processes to deliver high-quality services. It focuses on customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and effective management of resources.

ISO 27001: This certification deals with information security management systems. It ensures that the LSP has implemented adequate measures to protect client data, maintain confidentiality, and manage information security risks.

ISO/IEC 27701: Designed to help organizations protect and manage personal information, this standard focuses on privacy protection and compliance with relevant privacy laws and regulations.

ISO 14001: This standard provides a framework for organizations to set guidelines for environmental management systems (EMS). It requires companies to implement a structured approach to managing their environmental impact and reducing their carbon footprint.

 

ISO Certifications for Language Services

These are the essential ISO certifications specific to language services:

ISO 17100: Specific to translation services, this certification sets requirements for the core processes, resources, and qualifications necessary to provide quality translation services. ISO 17100 ensures that the LSP has qualified linguists, effective translation processes, and appropriate quality control measures.

ISO 18841: For LSPs that provide interpreting services, this certification establishes requirements such as qualifications and competence of interpreters, interpreting processes, and quality control.

ISO 18587: This certification focuses on the post-editing of machine translation output. It sets requirements for the competencies and qualifications of post-editors and the processes and quality control measures in post-editing.

 

ISO Certifications for Regulated Industries

Quality management and information security are important for all industries, and even more so for highly regulated sectors such as legal, financial, and life sciences industries:

Legal Industry: ISO certifications play a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy, confidentiality, and reliability of translation services. ISO 9001 certification guarantees the adoption of standardized quality processes, while ISO 27001 protects sensitive legal information.

Medical Device Industry: ISO 13485 is specific to medical device translation. It ensures the LSP adheres to quality management systems for medical devices and related services. It demonstrates the LSP’s compliance with regulatory requirements and its understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of the medical industry.

 

Work with an ISO-Certified Partner

While ISO certifications are not the only factor to consider when selecting an LSP, they provide objective evidence of an LSP’s commitment to meeting international standards and industry best practices. Assessing other factors like industry experience, subject matter expertise, client references, and pricing is still important to make a well-rounded decision based on your needs.

“ISO is about continuous improvement; about identifying risks broadly and finding out how to reduce them. The importance of this certification is that our clients can feel confident about the information systems in place designed to help protect their data. We understand how important our other certifications are to obtain and maintain. They also provide our clients added assurances and inspire trust in our systems and processes.”

– Silvie Peric, Director of Quality Systems & Strategy, Welocalize

By considering an LSP’s portfolio of ISO certifications, you can make informed decisions, mitigating risks and ensuring that your language needs are met with the highest standards of quality and reliability.

ISO 9001:2015 is the bare minimum certification for an LSP. Yet, four out of 10 boutique LSPs do not even have this basic standard, according to Slator. Close to three-quarters have at least one ISO certification, while 54% have more than one.

However, only 2.14% of LSPs hold a quality portfolio of at least five ISO certifications.

Welocalize holds seven ISO certifications, a testament to our commitment to international standards and global best practices. These are:

• ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System
• ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Management Systems
• ISO 17100:2015 Translation Services
• ISO 13485:2016 Medical Devices
• ISO 18587:2017 Human Post-Edited Machine Translation
• ISO/IEC 27701:2019 Certified for our Privacy Information Management System (PIMS)
• ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

We have been ISO 9001-certified for over 14 years. And as of last year, we achieved our first virtual-site certifications for ISO 9001, ISO 17100, ISO 18587, and ISO 13485. These virtual-site ISO certifications apply to cloud-based quality processes and systems, ensuring our clients of quality services in a cloud-based environment.

To learn more about the ISO certifications held by Welocalize and the benefits they offer your business, contact us and start a conversation.