ISO 9001 certified translation company

LinguaVox is an ISO 9001 certified translation company. ISO 9001 is a quality management standard that helps organisations define responsibilities, document processes, monitor performance and improve their internal systems. In a translation agency, it supports the way projects are quoted, assigned, managed, checked and delivered.

The standard does not replace the skill of translators, revisers or project managers. It provides an organisational framework so that client instructions, deadlines, files, supplier records and feedback are handled through documented procedures rather than informal improvisation.

What ISO 9001 means in translation

ISO 9001 is not a translation-specific standard. It can apply to many types of organisations. For a translation company, its value lies in process control: how requests are received, how requirements are recorded, how projects are assigned, how suppliers are evaluated and how corrective actions are managed.

This is important because translation projects often involve several operational variables: language pair, national variant, specialist subject matter, file format, deadline, certification requirements, client terminology and final delivery format. A documented management system helps reduce avoidable administrative errors and makes responsibilities clearer.

How ISO 9001 structures our operations

The ISO 9001 framework influences several areas of project management:

• Quotation management: Requirements are reviewed before a quote is issued, including language pair, word count, format, deadline and special instructions.
• Project assignment: Translators and revisers are selected according to language, subject matter and suitability for the project.
• Supplier control: Records are maintained for language providers and other specialists involved in the service.
• Client communication: Instructions, queries, approvals and feedback are managed in a structured way.
• Continuous improvement: Internal review and feedback help identify where processes can be refined.

For clients, this means the service is not dependent on memory or informal habits. The process is designed to make the handling of files and instructions more consistent.

ISO 9001 and ISO 17100

It is important to distinguish ISO 9001 from ISO 17100. ISO 9001 focuses on the management system of the organisation. ISO 17100 is specific to translation services and defines requirements for the translation workflow, including translator qualifications, project management and independent revision by a second qualified linguist when that workflow is contracted.

The two standards are complementary. ISO 9001 supports the overall structure of the company, while ISO 17100 applies directly to professional translation services. A project may benefit from both: the organisational control of ISO 9001 and the translation-specific workflow of ISO 17100.

Relationship with ISO 18587

LinguaVox also works with ISO 18587 for full post-editing of machine translation output. This standard is relevant when machine translation is used as a starting point and a human post-editor revises the output to meet the agreed level of quality.

ISO 18587 is not suitable for every document. Legal, medical, certified or brand-sensitive material may require a human translation workflow instead. The correct choice depends on the text type, risk level, language pair, confidentiality requirements and intended use.

Benefits for clients

Working with an ISO 9001 certified translation company can provide practical benefits:

• clearer recording of project requirements;
• more consistent handling of files and instructions;
• documented supplier and project management procedures;
• structured response to client feedback;
• better traceability in complex or recurring projects.

These benefits are especially relevant for companies that send regular work, manage multilingual documentation, require audit trails or need several departments to follow the same translation process.

Quality management and professional judgement

A quality management system is useful, but it does not remove the need for professional judgement. A certified birth certificate, a technical manual, an annual report, a website export and a legal contract should not be processed in the same way.

Our project managers use the documented system to support their decisions. They still need to assess the document, ask questions where necessary and recommend the correct workflow: professional translation, ISO 17100 translation, review, DTP, post-editing or another service.

Requesting a project under certified processes

If your organisation needs a specific workflow, tell us when requesting the quote. Some clients require ISO 17100 translation, independent revision, terminology management, final QA or a particular delivery record. Others only need a professional translation for internal use.

Providing the intended use, destination country, file format, deadline and reference material helps us recommend the most suitable process. The quotation can then reflect the actual work required instead of assuming that every project needs the same level of intervention.

Frequently asked questions