Code of Professional Conduct
Introduction
A Code of Professional Conduct serves as a framework for professional practice, benefiting both practitioners and clients.
Our Code of Professional Conduct sets out the standards of professional conduct and good practice that the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) requires from its members. For our members, the Code provides guidelines that support ethical decision-making and reinforce good practice. Upholding the Code also offers a way for members to demonstrate their commitment to ethical practice and continuing professional development. For clients, the Code provides reassurance that the professionals they work with are committed to maintaining integrity and ethical business practices.
There are three elements to the Code – professional values, professional competence, and professional business practices. The Code is supported by a glossary and good practice guidance that explains the standards and how they should be applied.
Ultimately, the Code of Professional Conduct strengthens the profession of translation and interpreting, fostering trust and promoting the delivery of consistently high-quality services.
1. Professional values
Purpose: Members should be mindful of their role as intercultural mediators and must remain committed to ensuring that their translations or interpretations contribute to effective communication, in whatever way is most appropriate in the circumstances.
Professional integrity: Members must be honest, truthful and transparent, and must conduct themselves with integrity and professionalism in all their business practices.
Respectful conduct: Members must treat clients, colleagues, ITI staff and members with respect and courtesy, and must not engage in harassment or other discriminatory behaviour.
Reputation: Members must not act in any way that might bring their colleagues, ITI, and/or the profession into disrepute.
Promoting the profession: Members should promote the value of professional translation and interpreting and support the development of the profession more broadly.
2. Professional competence
Scope of practice: Members must only undertake work that is within their linguistic, subject, and technical competence. They should decline work that is not within their competence and assist clients in finding appropriate professionals where possible.
Quality: Members must provide a translation or interpretation that meets the client’s needs. Members should remain conscious of the needs of all stakeholders, ensuring that they do not materially alter or omit any of the meaning or the source text. Members should exercise their professional judgement to ensure that the quality of the output is appropriate for the project.
Advertising and marketing: Members’ advertising and marketing materials must be truthful, accurate, and compliant with legal requirements.
Appropriate use of technology: Members should maintain an understanding of the benefits and risks associated with the use of technology and use such tools appropriately, while complying with legal and contractual obligations.
Continuing Professional Development: Members should engage in continuing professional development to maintain and enhance their skills, knowledge, and professionalism.
3. Professional business practices
Use of ITI membership designations: Members must use ITI membership logos and titles to reflect their current membership category and status accurately.
Contractual agreements: Prior to commencing work, members should make reasonable attempts to establish clear written agreements with clients specifying the project scope, deliverables, timelines, and terms of business.
Conflicts of interest: Members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest when taking on a project and ensure that personal, financial, and other considerations do not impact adversely on their ability to complete their work according to the standards expected by the client and ITI.
Confidentiality and data privacy: Members must protect the confidentiality of client information, unless legally required to disclose it, and adhere to all applicable data privacy regulations.
Respect for intellectual property (IP): Members must respect the intellectual property rights of clients, colleagues and third parties.
Communication: Members must promptly communicate to their clients any matters affecting the agreed outcome of the project.
Subcontracting: When subcontracting work to other professionals, members must take responsibility for the work and its quality. Members must ensure that they only engage subcontractors who are committed to the principles of the Code, regardless of whether the subcontractor is an ITI member or not.
Application
The Code of Professional Conduct applies to all members, whether they are working full-time or part-time as professional translators or interpreters in either an employed or a freelance role in the UK or internationally.
Complaints
Members who breach the Code may be liable to investigation and disciplinary action under ITI’s professional conduct and disciplinary procedures.