What is ISO 17100?
ISO 17100:2015 specifies requirements for the core processes, resources, and other aspects of the provision of quality translation services. It covers the complete translation workflow — from project specification through translation, revision, proofreading, and final review — and sets requirements for translator competence, tools, and quality management processes.
Who Needs ISO 17100?
- Language Service Providers (LSPs) seeking enterprise and public sector contracts
- Translation agencies responding to government and EU institutional tenders
- In-house translation departments at multinationals
- Legal, medical, and technical translation specialists
- Localisation providers and subtitling companies
Core Requirements
- Translator competence — Documented evidence of linguistic, subject matter, and translation competence for each translator.
- Revision process — Mandatory bilingual revision of all translations by a second qualified translator.
- Project management — Defined procedures for project specification, file management, and client communication.
- Technical resources — CAT tools, terminology management, and translation memory governance.
- Quality control — Pre-delivery review, correction, and client feedback procedures.
Integration with ISO 9001
ISO 17100 is sector-specific and is commonly implemented alongside ISO 9001 (Quality Management System). BALTUM offers an integrated ISO 9001 + ISO 17100 programme that satisfies both the generic quality management requirements of enterprise procurement and the translation-specific requirements of ISO 17100 — from a shared QMS framework.