Give Me Your Word Ltd. Code of Conduct for Interpreters
 

We expect all of our Interpreters to fully understand and adhere to the following code of conduct, without exception. By adhering to this Code of Conduct, Interpreters ensure professionalism, reliability, integrity, and cultural competency in all their interpreting engagements. 

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  1. Accuracy 

• The Interpreter must: 

  • Interpret everything that is said by all participants in the first person without any additions, omissions or other misleading factors that alter the intended meaning of the message from the speaker.  

  • Respect the intention behind the message.  

  • Interpret rude, uncomfortable, obscene, or other difficult or embarrassing language.  

  • Reflect the tone, attitude, and emotions of the speaker.  

  • Maintain the register (level of language, from formal to informal).  

  • Capture cultural aspects of the message.  

  • Sign language interpreters must:  

- Choose the linguistic register and mode of communication that the Deaf person understands best.  

- Interpret what is uttered and convey other relevant auditory and visual information. 

 

  2. Acceptance of Assignments 

• When accepting work, the Interpreter must ensure they are available on the specified date and time at the required location, having made appropriate travel arrangements. 

 

  3. Language Expertise 

• The Interpreter must have expertise in both the source and target languages to ensure accurate and effective communication. 

 

  4. Cultural Competency and Subject Knowledge 

• The Interpreter must possess cultural and subject knowledge to accurately and idiomatically convey the message from the source language to the target language. 

 

 5. Ethical Conduct 

• The Interpreter must adhere to the highest ethical standards, ensuring that their conduct upholds the integrity and trustworthiness of the interpreting profession. 

 

  6. Confidentiality 

• The Interpreter must ensure that everything discussed during the session remains confidential. Outside of their official capacity, the Interpreter must not discuss, report, or comment on matters in which they served as an Interpreter. 

 

  7. Impartiality 

• The Interpreter must not offer opinions, reactions, or judgments on the subject matter at any point. If for any reason the Interpreter’s impartiality is being jeopardised, they should withdraw from the assignment. 

 

  8. Non-Discrimination 

• The Interpreter must not discriminate based on gender, sexuality, colour, ethnic origin, financial background, health, disability, religion, nationality, or membership of any political or social group. 

 

  9. Conflict of Interest 

• The Interpreter must be neutral. Therefore, they must not accept assignments involving relatives or people with whom they are closely involved at work or at home. They must also avoid serving in any legal assignment where they are a potential witness, associate, friend, or relative of a party involved, and must steer clear of cases where they have a financial or other interest in the outcome. 

 

  10. Punctuality and Reliability 

• The Interpreter must be reliable and punctual. If there is any possibility of being late, they must contact GMYW immediately. 

 

  11. Introduction and Role Explanation 

• The Interpreter shall introduce themselves and explain their role to the service provider, stating clearly that they will communicate all that is said. They must emphasize that anything not meant to be interpreted should not be spoken. The Interpreter will also inform everyone to speak briefly to allow for regular interpreting. All information exchanged will remain confidential. 

 

  12. Competency and Integrity 

• If the Interpreter feels unable to fully and successfully fulfil the service, they must immediately inform all parties present. If the issue cannot be resolved, the Interpreter must withdraw from the session. GMYW should be notified immediately to arrange for a suitable replacement Interpreter to assist the Client. 

 

  13. Professional Boundaries 

• The Interpreter must not provide their personal contact information to the Client or service user. All communications with Clients and service users must be conducted through GMYW. 

 

  14. Appropriate Behaviour 

• The Interpreter must maintain professional and appropriate behaviour during all assignments, refraining from any conduct that might reflect poorly on their professionalism or GMYW. 

 

  15. Interventions and Interruptions 

• The Interpreter may intervene or interrupt only in the following situations: 

• To ask for clarification if they do not fully understand the concept they are being asked to interpret. 

• To point out if a service user has not fully understood the concept although the interpretation was correct. 

• To alert the parties to a possible missed cultural inference, i.e., information that has not been stated but knowledge of which might have been assumed. 

• To ask a service provider to modify their delivery to accommodate the interpreting process, e.g., if the practitioner is speaking too quickly or for too long. 

• The Interpreter shall inform both parties of the reason for interruption and interpret the explanation. 

 

   16. Interpreter safety 

• The Interpreter should not be alone with the service user. 

 

  17. Post-assignment De-brief and Verification of Hours 

• At the end of the assignment, the Interpreter should stay with the service provider to discuss any issues that arose and any required support depending on the nature of the assignment. 

• The Interpreter should have all timesheets signed by the Client to verify the actual hours of interpreting performed. 

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  18. Continuous professional development 

• The Interpreter shall actively pursue continuous professional development to improve professional knowledge and skills and stay current with industry best practices. 

• Continuous professional development activities may include attending relevant workshops, seminars, and conferences, as well as participating in advanced training courses and certifications.