ISO 18587 Certification

Become a Certified Translation Service Provider with an ISO 18587 Certification

Machine-generated translations (MT) save agencies and companies a lot of time. However, they still need to be edited. To ensure high quality, a translation agency can obtain certification according to the ISO 18587 standard. This creates transparency for customers and provides a competitive advantage.

The quality of artificial intelligence is constantly improving. Google Translate and DeepL have long been widely used in both private households and companies. As a translation agency, you use professional tools to process texts automatically. However, a text generated by a computer can rarely be presented directly to the client. You will always need to submit the translation for post-editing.

The DIN EN ISO 18587 Certification increases the efficiency of workflows for machine-generated translations (MT) and confirms your competence as a translation service provider.

Post-editing requires proof of quality

Today, the quality of the post-editing of texts accounts for a large part of the value of a translation. The computer provides the foundation, but it is the knowledge and experience of trained employees that turn it into a high-quality translation. The process behind this work is often invisible to the customer. They see the finished product and have to trust you that the translation will meet the highest standards.

The DIN ISO 17000 generally describes the processes in a translation agency, but explicitly excludes post-editing. Even if you are ISO 17000 certified, this is not a benchmark for services based on machine translation. This is where the DIN EN ISO 18587 comes into play as a specific standard for the post-editing of machine translations (MT).

What is the ISO 18587 standard?

It sets the same standards for post-editing of machine-generated translations worldwide. It consists of three core processes:

• Project Preparation
• Production Process
• Project Post-Processing

These individual chapters are divided into further highly practical stages. While the requirements for project preparation follow other ISO standards, the production process is closely aligned with machine translation. The focus here is on:

• What goals do you pursue in post-editing?
• What requirements are placed on the post-editing of machine translation?
• What requirements are placed on the editor?

With the answers to these questions, ISO 18587 aims to ensure that the quality of post-editing remains consistent even with a high volume. This is only possible through structured processes defined by the standard.

What happens during ISO 18587 certification?

During certification, we assess two criteria: the actual post-editing process and the existing competencies.

• The production process is divided into preparation, the actual processing, and post-processing.
• When it comes to competencies, the focus is on the general qualifications of the LSP, the professional qualifications of the translators, and the professionalism of the service.

In an ISO 18587 certification, the focus is therefore not on the translations or edits themselves, but on the processes and the workflow. During the assessment, we analyze, for example, the following processes:

• Check whether or not the content of the source language is suitable for MT/MT and subsequent post-editing.
• Review of the final product against the specifications before delivery to the client.
• Feedback from post-editors on the performance of the MT system.
• Are competencies for post-editing documented in the supplier database?
• Is there an assignment of workflows and project management?
• How is feedback communicated?
• Testing text documents for suitability for machine translation

In the certification process, all necessary procedures are analyzed and documented. Then it is verified whether they comply with the requirements of the ISO standard. If this is the case, we can issue you a certificate.

Project Management Under the Microscope

To assess how post-editing is carried out, we examine project management during the certification audit. For the ISO 18587 Certification, the following aspects are of particular importance:

• Identification of the key requirements and project specifications during the pre-production process
• Follow procedures and specifications throughout production
• Supervision and monitoring of the preparation process for the translation project
• Assignment of one or more qualified translators to the translation project
• Appointment of one or more qualified revisers
• Dissemination of information and issuance of instructions related to the assignment
• Monitoring to ensure compliance with the agreed schedule and deadlines
• Notification of changes to the project specifications if necessary
• Ensuring that translation-related questions and other inquiries are addressed
• Managing and processing feedback
• Verification that the translation service specifications have been met before the translation is approved and released to the client.

Why does an LSP need ISO DIN 18587 certification?

If you, as a translation agency or as a freelance translator, can demonstrate an ISO 18587 certification, you gain clear competitive advantages. You can show your clients that your work follows international quality standards and has been independently verified.

The main reasons for an ISO DIN 18587 Certification are:

• Competitive Advantages
• Proof of Quality
• Transparency Towards Customers
• Improved Internal Processes

You stand out from competitors who only have internal post-editing processes. This allows you to increase your value as an LSP. At the same time, you position yourself as a modern, technologically advanced translation service provider. The certificate shows that you use high-tech and artificial intelligence.

Certified and Systematic Revenue Growth!

With an ISO 18587 Certificate, ideally combined with ISO 17000, you can promote that you are able to deliver large volumes of translations quickly and with high quality.

You also gain advantages in the way you work. By complying with the ISO standard, you have optimized your processes and workflows and can work more efficiently. This saves you time and money.

Large companies require international standards

Many large and international companies publicly tender translation projects. They rely on LSPs that can translate large volumes of documents using machine-driven translation. Time is just as important as the objective proof of qualification.

With a certification, you have a significant advantage in tenders: the DIN EN ISO 18587 standard is an internationally recognized certification standard for LSPs in machine translation (MT) and post-editing.

Fast and professional certification

We see our role in certifying your services quickly and efficiently. As a recognized Swiss certification body for language services, we follow the guidelines of international audits for ISO standards. As part of the certification, we work with you to analyze your existing processes and workflows. If we identify minor deviations from ISO requirements, these can be corrected. This part of the audit is then repeated before certification.

Once the certification has been passed, you will receive an official certificate from us. It states what has been certified, the certification number, the date, and the validity period. You can then use this certificate and the corresponding logo to promote your services on your website and in brochures. 

Don’t wait for your competitors to get certified—start the process today. We will be happy to advise you on the requirements and how the audit process works in detail.

You can reach us by phone at +41 44 552 66 19 or send an email to Mr. Markus Kukla, Head of the Certification Body. We look forward to hearing from you.

ISO 18587 certification is also offered by LinquaCert in combination with audits in accordance with ISO 9001 and/or ISO 17100 performed.

Where can I find in-depth information on DIN EN ISO 17100 and DIN EN ISO 9001?

In contrast to DIN EN ISO 9001, ISO 18587 does not aim to represent a complete management system. A comparison of the scope of coverage between DIN EN ISO 9001 and DIN EN ISO 18587 can be found in our eBook «ISO 1700 – Translating with a System».