Translation agencies can take responsibility too!
Now is the time for businesses to accept their economic, social and environmental responsibilities. These are the pillars of corporate social responsibility (CSR), so let’s see how CSR applies in translation services.
More and more attractive and promising companies are opting for a responsible approach. CSR goes much further than the need to change the business world: it is a management philosophy that meets customers’ growing expectations in terms of sustainable development.
Corporate service providers are no exception to this trend, and naturally that includes translation agencies, which are an important link in the production chain.
Accurate linguistic interpretation of sustainability-related concepts
First of all, the translation agency must have a proper understanding of its client’s vocabulary in order to reproduce the values and ideas being conveyed. It may be useful to create a database of terms and expressions referring to the client’s social responsibility engagements in order to validate their linguistic equivalents and ensure coherent communication in each language.
A social and sustainable overall approach
But becoming a responsible translation agency means more than just managing client terminology properly: it also involves seeking to do business profitably in a manner that is respectful of individuals and the environment.
Even the smallest businesses have a role to play in the sustainable development of society, and CSR, the communication of equitable values and the promotion of good practices form the basis for such a role.
In other words, there are numerous ways to help build a better world.
From little acorns…
At Azimut Translations, for example, we have already taken a number of steps in this direction. We have always placed an emphasis on teleworking and minimised travel through the use of online productivity tools. We have chosen not to overheat our workspaces and to make optimal use of natural light in order to reduce our energy consumption. We sort our waste, which we also limit by avoiding printing out documents in order to review them, unless the client expressly asks for a paper copy. The toilets are supplied with rain water and we have opted for Fairtrade coffee and organic drinks.
We have also chosen to work with suppliers – most of them small-scale freelancers – who share our human and social values; and we welcome interns to whom we offer opportunities for constructive interaction in an attractive setting. Some might say that compared to the overall volume of economic activity this represents a drop in the ocean, but we believe that from little acorns mighty oaks do grow.