What does ISO stand for? 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental international organization that brings together experts to develop voluntary, consensus-based, and market-relevant international standards for products, services, and systems. Founded in 1947 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, it ensures quality, safety, and efficiency across nearly all technological and manufacturing sectors.

A translation company should primarily comply with ISO 17100:2015, which is the internationally recognized gold standard for translation services. This standard specifically outlines the requirements for all aspects of the translation process, including resources, pre-production, production, and post-production, and mandates that translations are reviewed by a second, independent linguist (the "four-eyes principle"). 

Key ISO standards a translation company should comply with:

1. The Core Standard: ISO 17100:2015

Focus: Translation services and processes.

Key Requirements:

Resources: Proof of competence for translators, editors, and project managers (via education or experience).

Four-Eyes Principle: Mandatory review of all translations by a second, independent qualified person.

Workflow: Structured pre-production (quoting, agreements) and post-production (feedback, closing).

Data Security: Secure handling of client files and confidential information. 

2. Supporting Standards: 

ISO 18587:2017: Essential if the company offers machine translation (MT) services, as it defines the requirements for human post-editing of machine-translated content. As AI and machine translation technologies transformed the industry, ISO 18587:2017 has emerged to address the unique challenges of working with machine translation output. This standard focuses specifically on how human linguists should review and refine machine-generated translations.

ISO 9001:2015: The standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS). While not translation-specific, it is frequently combined with ISO 17100 to demonstrate overall operational excellence and continuous improvement.