Code of Ethics - Progress review

Following the presentation on the Coffee House and Code of Ethics project, an in-depth discussion session was held with participants. The discussion centred on next steps for the project, with particular focus on the development of guidance to accompany the Code of Professional Conduct, the proposed establishment of an Ethics and Standards Committee, and emerging priorities identified through the coffee house sessions.

Governance structure

Relationship between proposed committees

The discussion identified that separation of responsibilities between the existing Professional Conduct Committee and the proposed Ethics and Standards Committee is important. The Professional Conduct Committee would focus specifically on investigating and dealing with breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct. The Ethics and Standards Committee would focus on reviewing and developing the Code of Professional Conduct itself and formulating guidance on ethical issues.

This separation reflects good practice by ensuring that the body responsible for enforcement is distinct from the body responsible for developing standards. However, there should be a feedback loop between the committees. When the Professional Conduct Committee encounters issues in its casework, it can flag these to the Ethics and Standards Committee as areas where clearer guidance would be beneficial.

Development of guidance

Artificial Intelligence as a priority

There was clear consensus across the discussion that guidance on artificial intelligence and ethics is needed urgently. This emerged as a high priority topic both from the coffee house session data and from participants' current experiences. Guidance should address practical questions such as transparency with clients, liability issues, confidentiality concerns, and the distinction between different levels of AI usage and automation.

Several participants noted that different practice settings have very different approaches to AI. A translator working in literary translation faces different considerations from someone in audiovisual translation or those working in-house for large localization companies. Additionally, AI technology is changing extremely rapidly, making any guidance quickly outdated. The drafting process must therefore be iterative and allow for regular updates.

Joss Moorkens offered to draft initial text on AI ethics that can be collaboratively revised and refined. Rather than seeking a final, perfect document, this approach allows the membership to respond to and shape the guidance. Participants appreciated this iterative approach as more practical than attempting comprehensive guidance from the outset.

Principles for AI guidance

Transparency emerged as the one principle on which there was broad agreement. Members should be transparent about whether and how they use AI in their practice. This is both ethically important and provides a practical starting point that is less controversial than attempting to dictate particular choices.

Building on transparency, guidance should emphasise informed use. If a member chooses to use AI, they have a responsibility to understand that technology sufficiently to act as an informed advisor to their clients. This is distinct from dictating whether members should or should not use AI; rather, it acknowledges that if they do use it, they need to understand it well enough to discuss its use and risks with clients intelligently.

A code of ethics can articulate principles at a higher level than a code of conduct. Rather than dictating specific actions in every scenario, it can express what ITI stands for and the values that guide the profession, allowing members to make individual decisions within that framework.

Existing resources and precedents

Several participants noted that ITI and other professional bodies have existing resources that can inform new guidance development. The International Federation of Translators (FIT) has published a position statement on AI that could provide useful precedent. The ITI Slow Translation Manifesto also sits alongside this work in some ways. Additionally, participants mentioned that some organisations and individual members have already begun to develop their own AI policies, which could serve as reference points.

Discussion also highlighted that the team has access to the detailed conversations and summaries from the coffee house sessions, which contain rich material about how members are approaching AI in practice. This can be drawn on to ensure guidance reflects real professional experience.

Model terms of business

Participants highlighted the need for practical tools to support members in client negotiations around AI use. Draft terms of business that address AI specifically could be valuable. These would be templates that members can adapt rather than one-size-fits-all requirements. Such terms should address principles including transparency about AI use, the client's instructions regarding AI, liability and who bears responsibility if things go wrong, and protection of confidentiality when data is input to AI systems.

ITI previously maintained model terms of business but these were removed from the website as they had become outdated. Developing new model terms would be a practical first step for the Ethics and Standards Committee.

Professional development and training

Technology literacy as a professional standard

Sara suggested a potentially significant shift: that a baseline level of understanding of technology, including AI, should be part of professional expectations. This would not mean mandating that members use AI or technology, but rather ensuring they understand what exists in their professional world well enough to have informed conversations with clients about it, including its risks and benefits.

This proposal drew discussion about how such expectations could be framed. Rather than being purely prescriptive, it could be incorporated into ITI's continuing professional development (CPD) framework. The principle would be that members should invest some of their 30 annual CPD hours in maintaining understanding of professional technologies. This makes it a recommendation rather than a hard requirement, respecting the varying circumstances of individual members.

Participants acknowledged that not all members will want to use AI or certain technologies, and that must be respected. However, there was support for the idea that understanding technology is important for the profession, particularly for those entering the market and for maintaining the profession's credibility when engaging with clients and the public.

Access to learning resources

To support members in developing technology literacy, Sara is exploring whether ITI can make introductory material from the University of Surrey's translation and AI course more widely available. The aim would be to provide an accessible introduction covering what AI is, how it works, and what members need to know, perhaps in a format requiring as little as one hour to complete. This could then encourage members to undertake further learning if interested.

Joseph suggested that ITI could develop a library of curated resources to help members inform themselves about AI and related technologies. This would empower members to develop their knowledge at their own pace and in ways suited to their practice.

Well-being

Well-being emerged as a significant concern in the coffee house sessions and was discussed in the context of both professional ethics and practical support for members. Data from the sessions showed that interest in well-being came not just from academics but strongly from practitioners, indicating this is a genuine professional concern.

Several participants shared experiences of the mental and physical strain of translation and interpreting work, including the impacts of working for extended periods without breaks, facing commercial pressure to produce faster, and coping with the cognitive demands of the work. They noted that well-being support in the profession was previously often informal or absent, with freelancers particularly lacking the supportive resources available to in-house staff.

A positive development has been the addition of well-being as a category within ITI's CPD framework, making it possible for members to count time spent on well-being activities towards their CPD hours. A member-driven initiative on well-being has also emerged, with people sharing practical tips on what works for them.

Participants noted that unlike aspects of ethics that can be enshrined in rules, well-being is ultimately a personal responsibility. However, ITI can play an important role through awareness raising, legitimising members' concerns about their working conditions, establishing peer support, and providing practical resources. For interpreters particularly, there is scope for ITI guidance on well-being to be used when advocating with judicial and other institutions about professional working conditions.

Client engagement and market positioning

Client education and transparency

Several participants highlighted the importance of client-facing communications about ethics, professional standards and technology. Many clients may not fully understand the profession's standards or the implications of different approaches to technology use. In some cases, clients may already be ahead of professionals in terms of technology adoption and asking for specific AI systems to be used.

There is scope for ITI to support members in educating clients about professional standards and the value proposition of professional translators and interpreters. This includes helping clients understand the risks associated with various approaches to technology, the importance of transparency about what has been used in translation, and the factors affecting translation quality and cost.

One participant noted that some clients in certain sectors (particularly legal) have expressed strong distrust of AI due to concerns about reliability and liability. Others are asking clients to specify what AI systems they use and how, indicating that transparency is becoming a market expectation in some contexts.

Market dialogue and strategic messaging

Discussion touched on the 'slow translation' framing in the ITI Slow Translation Manifesto. One participant noted that while the manifesto represents important ethical principles, the language of 'slow translation' may not resonate well with all client sectors. Some demanding clients are not necessarily rushing but may be concerned about the strategic message of associating the profession with 'slowness'.

Sara noted that there is scope to reframe and refresh messaging about the value of professional translators in language that is more aligned with market positioning. This work would be separate from the Slow Translation Manifesto but complementary to it, focusing on how to articulate professional value in ways that resonate with different client sectors.

Broader industry engagement

Participants reflected on how conversation about ethics could extend beyond the immediate ITI membership to include corporate members, clients and the broader industry. Some conversation is already happening at an individual level, with practitioners discussing ethical issues with their clients and editors. These individual conversations can help spread awareness of professional standards and draw more people into the broader dialogue about ethics and professional practice.

There is also potential to engage institutions that employ translators and interpreters, such as localization companies and public service interpreting services, in conversations about professional standards and ethical practice. Companies registered as corporate members of ITI could be engaged more actively in these conversations.

Key recommendations and actions

Outstanding questions

Several questions emerged during the discussion that require further consideration:

How can ITI best engage the proportion of members not yet participating in conversations about ethics and professional standards? The 'iceberg' metaphor acknowledges that a significant population does not yet engage, and finding ways to broaden participation remains an important challenge.

How can ITI's corporate members be engaged more actively in conversations about professional ethics and standards, particularly where they are employers of translators and interpreters or major service providers in the market?

Can ITI support the idea of signed translations or other labelling mechanisms to indicate transparency in the use of AI and other technologies in translation? Related work is happening internationally, and there may be opportunity for ITI to align with or contribute to such initiatives.

How can guidance development remain flexible enough to reflect the rapidly changing technological landscape whilst still providing useful, timely guidance to members?

Conclusion

The discussion demonstrated genuine engagement with complex issues affecting the profession. Participants brought practical experience and thoughtful reflection on how professional ethics, technology, client relationships and working conditions intersect. The challenges identified are not new; historical analysis shows similar questions were being debated within ITI decades ago, yet the nuance and depth of understanding of these issues has developed significantly.

The work ahead is substantial and cannot be completed quickly. However, there is clear support for the proposed approach of establishing formal structures (the Ethics and Standards Committee) to lead this work, and strong interest in specific near-term priorities, particularly guidance on artificial intelligence and updating model terms of business. Members have expressed willingness to contribute to the development of these resources.

The discussion reinforces the value of the collaborative approach embodied in the coffee house sessions. Continued dialogue with the membership, informed by their practical experience, will be essential as this work develops.