This Code of Good Practice of the Polish Association of Translation Agencies sets forth the rules and standards of translation services the companies comprising the Polish Association of Translation Agencies (hereinafter referred to as "the Association's Members") undertake to observe.
1. Guiding Principles
The Association's Members should undertake activities aimed at promoting the idea of benefits following from cooperation with professional translation agencies among their clients.
The Association's Members shall be obliged to act honestly when dealing with their existing or former clients, the Association's Members and other people practicing the profession of translator.
The Association's Members may not participate in or conduct any activities likely to damage the good name and interests of the Polish Association of Translation Agencies.
The Association's Members should not include any misleading or unfounded statements in their publications or advertisements.
The Association's Members should not groundlessly criticize translations produced by other translators or translation agencies, or discredit them in their attempt to win clients. Any presented information on competitive entities may only concern publicly available information and data.
The Association's Members must not act unfairly in their attempt to win clients.
The Association's Members or their employees must not give gifts whose value exceeds the amount specified in Article 21.68a of the Polish Personal Income Tax Act.
The Association's Members and their employees shall be obliged to spare no effort to protect the intellectual property of other persons and companies.
2. Translation
The Association's Members should produce their translations diligently, professionally and honestly with due regard to the generally applicable translation rules.
The Association's Members should not accept orders if their expert knowledge is insufficient to execute them or they may not be able to meet the deadlines in the case of excessive workload.
The Association's Members should employ and observe the quality assurance procedures.
The Association's Members should verify the translations, so as to be able to influence the overall standard of their services and control the quality of work performed by their translators.
The Association's Members and their employees shall be obliged to exercise due care in protecting confidential information provided by their former, existing or prospective clients and/or employers or using such information without their express authorization.
The Association's Members shall employ relevant measures to protect the data stored on computers against damage, change or unauthorized access. Electronic transmission of data or copying thereof on magnetic media should guarantee no availability of data to unauthorized persons.
The Association's Members should take account of and, as far as possible, comply with the clients' requirements.
The Association's Members should supervise their employees in terms of proper delivery of translation services.
The Association's Members shall carefully analyze all complaints and, where reasonable, spare no effort to promptly correct all mistakes.
3. Employment of and Cooperation with Translators
The Association's Members should employ professional procedures concerning the recruitment of translators.
As part of the recruitment procedure, all applicants should do a sample translation or their skills should be subject to alternative verification.
The Association's Members should provide their translators with appropriate conditions necessary to produce proper translation by providing them with relevant auxiliary materials or exhaustive guidelines.
The Association's Members should strive to provide their translators with expert knowledge and to develop their professional skills through relevant expert support or training.
The Association's Members should treat their translators with due respect.
The Association's Members should timely settle all their liabilities.
4. Miscellaneous
In the case of any disputes between clients and the Association's Members, the Association's Members should voluntarily accept the decision of the Arbitration Board.
The Association's Members and their employees shall be obliged to promptly notify the Association's governing bodies of any violation of this Code.
In the case of any doubt as to observance of professional ethics, the Association's Executive Board shall have the right to suspend a given translation agency for the period necessary to resolve the doubt, however not exceeding 3 months.
The Association's Members shall be obliged to inform their clients that their services are provided according to this Code.
On behalf of ................................. I hereby accept the provisions of this Code of Good Practice of the Polish Association of Translation Agencies and undertake to observe them..
Date ....................................... Signature ........................................