ISO 13611:2014

ISO 13611:2014 establishes criteria and recommendations for community interpreting during oral and signed communication that enables access to services for people who have limited proficiency in the language of such services. Community interpreting occurs in a wide variety of private and public settings and supports equal access to community and/or public services.

ISO 13611:2014 addresses community interpreting as a profession, not as an informal practice such as interpreting performed by friends, family members, children, or other persons who do not have the competences and qualifications specified in this International Standard or who do not follow a relevant Code of Ethics.

ISO 13611:2014 is a guidance document. It establishes and provides the basic principles and practices necessary to ensure quality community interpreting services for all language communities, for end users, as well as for requesters, and service providers. Furthermore, it provides general guidelines that are common to all forms of community interpreting. ISO 13611:2014 is applicable to settings wherever speakers of non-societal languages need to communicate to access services. The settings vary and can include, among others, the following: public institutions (schools, universities, community centres, etc.); human and social services (refugee boards, self-help centres, etc.); healthcare institutions (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.); business and industry (real estate, insurance, etc.); faith-based organizations (rituals, ceremonies, etc.); emergency situations (natural disasters, epidemics, etc.).

Interpreting that enables access to services may include services provided in legal settings (police stations, courts, prisons, etc.) that facilitate equal access to justice. In some countries, legal interpreting, a broad field that includes court interpreting, is not considered part of community interpreting. ISO 13611:2014 does not supersede national standards or legislation which addresses any sector of interpreting, including court or legal interpreting (See Annex A for further details).

ISO 13611:2014 also provides guidance for the provision of community interpreting services. As a result, ISO 13611:2014 addresses and refers to all parties involved in facilitating any communicative event that enables access to community services, such as members of linguistic minorities, community interpreters, community-interpreting service providers, public institutions, and other stakeholders who provide services to diverse linguistic communities.