1、 1November 2012 AUSIT Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct Table of Contents Introduction Preamble Code of Ethics Code of Conduct: Obligations towards recipients of services Conduct issues specific to translators Conduct issues specific to interpreters 2Introduction The AUSIT Code of Ethics was first
2、drafted as a by-law in the early 1990s. It was then endorsed in expanded form at the National Annual General Meeting in 1995, and for the next 15 years served AUSIT and the wider profession well. A number of overseas educational institutions and professional bodies used it as a reference or as a mod
3、el for their own codes. But changes in the translation and interpreting industry mean the requirements of a code of ethics have also changed. In late 2010 AUSIT accepted a proposal from Monash University to set up a joint AUSIT/Monash working group to review the Code of Ethics, with funding for Dr U
4、ldis Ozolins as its leader. After twelve months, when the funding was exhausted, Christian Schmidt took over the reins to bring the project to completion At some point during the review process feedback was sought from all AUSIT members and from representatives of all areas of the T former President
5、 of FIT and former Chair of the Board of NAATI Eva Hussain, formerAUSIT Vice President and former Chair of AUSIT VicTas Branch; an interpreter and translator who runs her own language services company Dr Uldis Ozolins, a researcher who has written widely on T they are committed to providing quality
6、service in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner, dealing honestly and fairly with other parties and colleagues, and dealing honestly in all business practices. They disclose any conflict of interest or any matter that may compromise their impartiality. They observe common professional ethics
7、 of diligence and responsiveness to the needs of other participants in their work. 52. CONFIDENTIALITY Interpreters and translators maintain confidentiality and do not disclose information acquired in the course of their work. Explanation: Interpreters and translators are bound by strict rules of co
8、nfidentiality, as are the persons they work with in professional or business fields. 3. COMPETENCE Interpreters and translators only undertake work they are competent to perform in the languages for which they are professionally qualified through training and credentials. Explanation: In order to pr
9、actise, interpreters and translators need to have particular levels of expertise for particular types of work. Those who work with interpreters and translators are entitled to expect that they are working with appropriately qualified practitioners. Practitioners always represent their credentials ho
10、nestly. Where formal training or accreditation is not available (e.g. in less frequently used language combinations and new and emerging languages), practitioners have an obligation to increase and maintain skills through their own professional development (see Principle 8 below) or request employer
11、s, agencies or institutions to provide it. 4. IMPARTIALITY Interpreters and translators observe impartiality in all professional contacts. Interpreters remain unbiased throughout the communication exchanged between the participants in any interpreted encounter. Translators do not show bias towards e
12、ither the author of the source text or the intended readers of their translation. Explanation: Interpreters and translators play an important role in facilitating parties who do not share a common language to communicate effectively with each other. They aim to ensure that the full intent of the com
13、munication is conveyed. Interpreters and translators are not responsible for what the parties communicate, only for complete and accurate transfer of the message. They do not allow bias to influence their performance; likewise they do not soften, strengthen or alter the messages being conveyed. 5. A
14、CCURACY Interpreters and translators use their best professional judgement in remaining faithful at all times to the meaning of texts and messages. Explanation: Accuracy for the purpose of this Code means optimal and complete message transfer into the target language preserving the content and inten
15、t of the source message or text without omission or distortion. 6. CLARITY OF ROLE BOUNDARIES Interpreters and translators maintain clear boundaries between their task as facilitators of communication through message transfer and any tasks that may be undertaken by other parties involved in the assi
16、gnment. Explanation: The focus of interpreters and translators is on message transfer. 6Practitioners do not, in the course of their interpreting or translation duties, engage in other tasks such as advocacy, guidance or advice. Even where such other tasks are mandated by particular employment arran
17、gements, practitioners insist that a clear demarcation is agreed on between interpreting and translating and other tasks. For this purpose, interpreters and translators will, where the situation requires it, provide an explanation of their role in line with the principles of this Code. 7. MAINTAININ
18、G PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS Interpreters and translators are responsible for the quality of their work, whether as employees, freelance practitioners or contractors with interpreting and translation agencies. They always endeavour to secure satisfactory working conditions for the performance of the
19、ir duties, including physical facilities, appropriate briefing, a clear commission, and clear conduct protocols where needed in specific institutional settings. They ensure that they have allocated adequate time to complete their work; they foster a mutually respectful business relationship with the
20、 people with whom they work and encourage them to become familiar with the interpreter or translator role. Explanation: Interpreters and translators work in a variety of settings with specific institutional demands and a wide range of professional and business contexts. Some settings involve strict
21、protocols where the interpreter or translator is a totally independent party, while others are marked by cooperation and shared responsibilities. Interpreters and translators must be familiar with these contexts, and endeavour to have the people they work with understand their role. For practitioner
22、s who work through agencies, the agency providing them with the work is one of their clients, and practitioners maintain the same professional standards when working with them as when working with individual clients. At the same time agencies must have appropriate and fair procedures in place that r
23、ecognise and foster the professionalism of interpreting and translating practitioners. 8. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Interpreters and translators continue to develop their professional knowledge and skills. Explanation: Practitioners commit themselves to lifelong learning, recognising that individuals
24、, services and practices evolve and change over time. They continually upgrade their language and transfer skills and their contextual and cultural understanding. They keep up to date with the technological advances pertinent to their practice in order to continue to provide quality service. Practit
25、ioners working in languages where there is no standard training or credential may need to assess, maintain and update their standards independently 9. PROFESSIONAL SOLIDARITY Interpreters and translators respect and support their fellow professionals, and they uphold the reputation and trustworthine
26、ss of the profession of interpreting and translating. 7Explanation: Practitioners have a loyalty to the profession that extends beyond their individual interest. They support and further the interests of the profession and their colleagues and offer each other assistance. 8CODE OF CONDUCT Obligation
27、s towards recipients of services 1. Professional conduct 1.1 Interpreters and translators maintain their integrity and independence at all times. 1.2 Interpreters and translators undertake appropriate preparations for all assignments. 1.3 Interpreters and translators complete assignments they have a
28、ccepted, unless they are unable to do so for ethical reasons (see 3.4 and 4.2 below). 1.4 Interpreters and translators adhere to appointment times and deadlines, or advise clients promptly of any hindrance. 1.5 Interpreters and translators do not exercise power or influence over their clients. 1.6 I
29、nterpreters and translators do not solicit or accept gratuities or other benefits. They may, however, accept typical small gifts in specific cultural contexts. Ethical principle: Interpreters and translators act at all times in accordance with the standards of conduct and decorum appropriate to the
30、aims of AUSIT, the national professional association of interpreting and translation practitioners. 2. Confidentiality 2.1 Interpreters and translators are bound by strict rules of confidentiality, as are the parties they work with in professional or business fields. 2.2 Where teamwork is required,
31、the ethical obligation for confidentiality extends to all members of the team and/or agency. 2.3 Practitioners do not seek to take advantage of information acquired during or as a result of their work. 2.4 Disclosure of information may be permissible with clients agreement or when disclosure is mand
32、ated by law (see Int15). Ethical principle: Interpreters and translators maintain confidentiality and do not disclose information acquired in the course of their work. 3. Competence 3.1 The acceptance of an interpreting or translation assignment Ethical principle: Interpreters and 9is an implicit de
33、claration of an interpreters or translators competence to carry out that assignment. 3.2 Interpreters and translators are familiar with the varied contexts, institutional structures, terminology and genres of the areas in which they accept work. 3.3 Interpreters and translators clearly state their q
34、ualifications in particular languages or language directions if requested by the client. 3.4 If it becomes apparent in the course of an assignment that expertise beyond their competence is required, interpreters and translators inform the client(s) immediately and work to resolve the situation, eith
35、er withdrawing from the assignment or following another acceptable strategy. 3.5 If a client wishes to change the language of the interpretation or translation to a different language, this can only be done if the interpreter or translator has relevant competence in the other language. translators o
36、nly undertake work they are competent to perform, in the languages for which they are professionally qualified through training and credentials. 4. Impartiality 4.1 Professional detachment is required for interpreting and translation assignments in all situations. 4.2 Where impartiality may be diffi
37、cult to maintain because of personal beliefs or other circumstances, interpreters and translators do not accept assignments, or they offer to withdraw from the assignment. 4.3 Interpreters and translators are not responsible for what clients say or write. 4.4. Interpreters and translators do not voi
38、ce or write an opinion, solicited or unsolicited, on any matter or person during an assignment. 4.5 Interpreters and translators frankly disclose all conflicts of interest, e.g. in assignments for relatives or friends and those affecting their employers. 4.6 Interpreters and translators do not recom
39、mend to clients any business, agency, process, substance or material matters in which they have a personal or financial interest, without fully disclosing this interest to the clients. Ethical principle: Interpreters and translators observe impartiality in all professional contacts. Interpreters rem
40、ain unbiased throughout the communication exchanged between the participants in any interpreted encounter. Translators do not show bias towards either the author of the source text or the intended readers of their translation. 105. Accuracy5.1 Interpreters and translators provide accurate renditions
41、 of the source utterance or text in the target language. Accurate is defined for this purpose as optimal and complete, without distortion or omission and preserving the content and intent of the source message or text. Interpreters and translators are able to provide an accurate and complete renditi
42、on of the source message using the skills and understanding they have acquired through their training and education. 5.2 Interpreters and translators do not alter, add to, or omit anything from the content and intent of the source message. 5.3 Interpreters and translators acknowledge and promptly re
43、ctify any interpreting or translation mistakes. 5.4 Where circumstances permit, interpreters and translators ask for repetition, rephrasing or explanation if anything is unclear. Ethical principle: Interpreters and translators use their best professional judgement in remaining faithful at all times
44、to the meaning of texts and messages. 6. Clarity of role boundaries6.1 Interpreters and translators do not, in the course of their interpreting or translation duties, assume other roles such as offering advocacy, guidance or advice. Even where such other tasks are mandated (e.g. by specific institut
45、ional requirements for employees), practitioners insist that a clear demarcation is agreed on by all parties between interpreting and translating and other tasks. 6.2 Interpreters and translators respect the professional boundaries of other participants involved in an assignment. 6.3 Interpreters an
46、d translators draw attention to any situation where other parties misunderstand the interpreter or translator role or have inappropriate expectations. 6.4 Interpreters and translators understand, and help their clients understand, the difference between professional and personal interactions. They a
47、ssume responsibility for establishing and maintaining appropriate boundaries between themselves and the other participants in the communicative interaction. Ethical principle: Interpreters and translators maintain clear boundaries between their task as facilitators of communication through message t
48、ransfer and any tasks that may be undertaken by other parties involved in the assignment. 7. Maintaining professional relationships7.1 Practitioners follow this Code whenever they are interpreting or translating as employees, as freelancers, as Ethical principle: Interpreters and 11agency contractor
49、s or as supervisors or employers of other interpreters and translators. 7.2 When working as freelancers, interpreters and translators deal with clients and agencies honestly and transparently. 7.3 When working through agencies, interpreters and translators maintain the same professional standards as when working with individual clients. 7.4 Interpreters and translators request briefing and access to reference material and background information before their work commences. 7.5 In interpreting assignments, interpreters endeavour to secure a physical environment that enables optimal messag
