In a multilingual world, translation and interpretation have become a core part of many organizations’ communication strategies. Whether you must navigate sensitive one-on-one conversations or need to design an advocacy campaign, translation ethics play a critical role.
Effective translation preserves meaning and intent across cultural and linguistic divides, be it a simple one-word translation or facilitating parent-teacher conferences in schools.
Commitment to quality
At Alboum, we believe that translation must go beyond literal word-for-word conversion. We believe it requires a deep commitment to cultural sensitivity, confidentiality, and impartiality.
That’s why our translation ethics begin with a commitment to deliver work that is not only accurate, but also responsible and respectful. This pledge outlines Alboum’s unwavering commitment to ethical practice in every project we undertake.
We are committed to clear communication with every organization we support, establishing realistic project scopes, timelines, and deliverables from the outset of each relationship.
Our clients can expect transparent pricing and a collaborative process. We focus on working alongside your team to identify the right approach to each translation project or interpretation assignment considering your organization’s goals, stakeholder needs, and budget.
Alboum’s Core Ethical Pillars
Alboum requires that all team members follow a code of conduct that includes these inviolable principles:
- absolute confidentiality to protect client information
- strict impartiality to avoid bias
- unwavering commitment to accuracy
- profound respect for cultural nuances
Safeguarding Information and Upholding Privacy
Protecting your data is a key part of translation ethics, and Alboum adheres to the highest standards of data security and confidentiality.
- Our linguists must maintain the confidentiality of any information entrusted to them during their work, including personal details or sensitive data. Our linguists working on medical-related assignments have HIPAA compliance training and adhere to Alboum HIPAA policies and procedures to ensure that patient health information (PHI) is kept secure and confidential except if required to disclose information as mandated by law.
- Our linguists working on education-related assignments must adhere to Alboum’s FERPA policy and procedures for handling personally identifiable information (PII) to ensure such data is kept secure and confidential except when required to disclose information as mandated by law.
Impartiality and objectivity
Alboum’s code of conduct requires all linguists to:
- always act in an impartial and professional manner, avoiding bias or discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or any other personal characteristic.
- remain objective and unbiased in their analysis and interpretation of language, being sure to avoid letting personal opinions or beliefs influence their work.
Further, interpreters must never add commentary beyond meeting proceedings or discussions, nor offer advice or opinion to the participants.
Respect and professionalism
In addition to their core responsibilities, our linguists are committed to:
- always act in a manner that reflects the highest standards and best practices of the profession
- treat all individuals involved in their work with respect and courtesy, regardless of their social status or background
- maintain a professional demeanor, avoiding inappropriate language or behavior
- be mindful of the cultural nuances, demonstrating respect and sensitivity, particularly when working in healthcare situations and with new immigrants.
How technology impacts translation ethics
Alboum is committed to evolving and adapting to a changing world in order to deliver efficient, cost-effective solutions to our clients.
As part of that commitment, we utilize technology to maintain:
- style guides and client-specific glossaries
- Trados, a translation memory tool
- systems to provide on-demand interpretation services
We believe technology should augment, not replace, human talent. That’s why Alboum has introduced a solution that pairs machine translation with human editors to increase the speed of delivery, while maintaining our commitment to quality.
We employ technology responsibly, with robust protocols that ensure data privacy and client confidentiality.
A future built on ethical communication
The world is constantly changing, and so are the demands of translation. We expect all members of our team to commit to ongoing training for our team on ethical best practices, cultural competency, and emerging technologies.
Alboum’s pledge to ethical translation practices is a promise to our clients, our team, and the global community. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you might have on our policies and code of conduct.
