Main Content
Industry Ethics: Introduction
Introduction • Questions for Service Providers • Questions for Clients • Model Contract
In response to numerous queries regarding ethics and business practices in the GILT (Globalization, Internationalization, Localization, and Translation) industry, LISA has developed these standards for ethical business practices in the GILT industry. The purpose of this effort is to provide a common reference for both suppliers and consumers of localization and related services as to what constitutes ethical behavior with regard to GILT-specific issues. It is not intended as a general ethical guideline for all aspects of business practice and effort.
This document is not intended to replace ethics guidelines already in existence for various national and regional translation groups. Readers are encouraged to refer to guidelines released by any organizations to which they belong or which are considered normative for the markets in which they are active.
This project includes a set of guidelines, as well as a model contract for use in the GILT industry that specifies many of these ethical issues in a contractual form and removes them from potential debate. These guidelines are posted on-line at the LISA website, as well as provided in appropriate downloadable format. Parties involved in GILT activities are encouraged to refer to these guidelines and to make use of them in forming contracts and carrying out general business activities.
These guidelines are intended to be practical in nature, not a comprehensive theory of ethics. As a result they appear as a series of questions and answers that deal with specific issues commonly dealt with by GILT service providers and clients. In some instances you and your business partners may arrive at different arrangements than those specified in this document, but this document provides a general framework that describes what service/solutions providers and those purchasing services or solutions should generally expect in their business relationships. In cases of divergence from the norms established in this document, you are advised to make sure that your contracts include specific mention of areas of potential dispute.
It is the view of LISA that ethics are the responsibility of all parties involved in localization, and that they are all obligated to conduct business in an ethical manner that respects general business practice as well as particular practices of the GILT industry. This document therefore consists of three parts: questions intended for suppliers of GILT services, questions intended for clients (consumers) of GILT services, and a model contract for the GILT industry. Many of the questions appear in different format in both sections since they are issues faced by both suppliers and consumers. Although developers of tools are active within LISA, this document does not presently address ethical issues specific to them as their concerns are very different from those of service providers and their clients.
This document represents the 12. March 2004 revision that incorporates the feedback of numerous readers.
The GILT Industry Ethics: Guidelines and Model Contract was prepared by the Localization Industry Standards Association. LISA welcomes feedback on this document, which should be sent to Arle Lommel at arle@lisa.org.
