Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

EU Standard Contractual Clauses (Processors) and the Privacy Shields

As part of its overall global privacy compliance efforts, Translations.com has elected to adhere to enforcing the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (Processors) and the Privacy Shields concerning the transfer of personal identifiable data from the European Union to the United States of America, including adhering to the requirements effective under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Translations.com complies with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework and the Swiss – U.S. Privacy Shield Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information transferred from the European Union and Switzerland to the United States, respectively. Translations.com has certified to the Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Privacy Shield Principles. If there is any conflict between the terms in this privacy policy and the Privacy Shield Principles, the Privacy Shield Principles shall govern. To learn more about the Privacy Shield program, and to view our certification, please visit https://www.privacyshield.gov/.

The term "processing" of personal data includes any operation or set of operations performed upon personal data such as collecting, storing, retrieving, consulting, using, disclosing, disseminating, and otherwise making available the personal data.

This Privacy Policy may change from time to time based on changes made to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses and/or the Privacy Shields. Any changes made necessary will be reflected in an update to this policy and disseminated.

Translations.com's privacy practices are self-certified and reflect current guidance concerning the optimal manner of reaching data privacy compliance in accordance with current legal and regulatory guidance.

Independent recourses for privacy complaints

In compliance with the Privacy Shield Principles, Translations.com commits to resolve complaints about our collection or use of your personal information. EU and Swiss individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding our Private Shield policy should first contact our Privacy Officers, Roy Trujillo and/or Shigeru Watanabe, at (privacy@translations.com) or by telephone at +1-646-589-6779.

You may file complaints via a online form (click here)

Translations.com is committed to resolve all complaints in timely manner. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint from us (to be acknowledged within 45 days of receipt), or if you are not satisfied with our response, or if contacting us does not resolve your complaint, EU individuals may request Translations.com to refer unresolved Privacy Shield complaints to, or you may bring a complaint before, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB). The USCIB is the American affiliate of the International Chamber of Commerce, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, and the International Organization of Employers, and has agreed to act as a trusted third party on behalf of the European Union (EU) Data Protection Authorities. Information about how to file a complaint before the USCIB can be found at uscib.org. As a last resort, EU individuals may seek redress through binding arbitration. Swiss individuals may request Translations.com to refer unresolved Privacy Shield complaints to, or you may bring a complaint before, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), which serves as the Alternative Dispute Resolution body (ADR) according to the Swiss-US Privacy Shield Framework. The services of this process are provided at no cost to you.

Scope – This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information received by Translations.com in any format. Translations.com will ensure all global data handled by our offices conforms to this Privacy Policy.

Cookies – The Translations.com website uses cookies, tracking pixels and related technologies. Cookies are small data files that are served by our platform and stored on your device. Our site uses cookies dropped by us or third parties for a variety of purposes including to operate and personalize the website. Also, cookies may also be used to track how you use the site to target ads to you on other websites.

Opting-out – Translations.com's cookie provider is a member of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and adheres to the NAI Codes of Conduct. You may use the NAI opt out tool here, which will allow you to opt out of seeing targeted ads from us and from other NAI approved member companies.

Notice – Translations.com treats all material sent to us from our clients, vendors, and employees (collectively, "CVEs") as confidential in accordance with its current confidentiality undertakings with CVEs. Confidentiality provisions are required as part of all of our contracts with all of our clients vendors and employees; each separate entity must sign a confidentiality agreement prior to becoming affiliated or working with Translations.com.

Translations.com maintains Personal Data regarding CVEs on secure systems. This information is collected to aid Translations.com in conducting business operations. In addition to the Personal Data itself, the information which Translations.com protects includes contact details, billing/invoicing/payment information, services provided to our clients, and information within source and reference files sent to perform translation projects. In regards to our employees and vendors, this information may also include contact details, payment information, professional qualifications, financial information, and information provided by the employee or vendor in its resume or curriculum vitae ("CV"). When requested by a client and permitted under applicable law, Translations.com may also cause criminal background checks to be conducted on all employees as well as seek such information concerning key vendors or consultants who may be retained by them. If criminal background checks are needed by clients for our vendors, Translations.com may accommodate this request if permitted under local law and for an additional fee. Please discuss with your Client Services Representative if needed.

Translations.com does not rent, sell, loan or otherwise make available Personal Data to any third party unless required by law or in the scope of a registrar, regulatory, or financial audit.

When any clients visit Translations.com's website, Translations.com does not track Personal Data, names or email addresses. Instead, Translations.com only tracks which Internet Service Provider has accessed the site as well as statistics that show the number of site visitors, those requests received and the country origin of those requests. This information is used to improve our site in order to better serve our clients, but this information does not constitute Personal Data.

All emails sent to Translations.com (globally) are routed through a third party SPAM filter (AppRiver) which is located in the United States. This means all email correspondence originated outside of the United States with an end destination other than the United States still must travel through the United States before arrival at the desired location.

Translations.com utilizes a network of over 4,000 freelance vendors to assist in the process of translation. They may receive, as part of the assignment, the name of the client they are working on but no Personal Data about that client, unless such contact information is needed to perform the assignment (such as the cases of onsite interpretation projects, onsite document review, etc.). These freelance vendors may also have access to any Personal Data within the source documents and reference material sent to them for translation. However, in all cases, the freelance vendors will be subject to confidentiality undertakings in which such freelance vendors undertake to keep such information confidential and only use such information in accordance with their projects. All vendors who will be processing Personal Data are also required to sign the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

In addition, all vendors are required to sign an EU Data Protection Agreement prior to working with Translations.com. This document addresses common requirements concerning Notice, Choice, Onward Transfer, Access, Security, Data Integrity and Enforcement of the Personal Data with respect to the vendor's Personal Data. Any vendor has the right to terminate its working relationship with Translations.com and request the deletion of Personal Data pertaining to them. However, Translations.com will continue to maintain its historical business records in such a way so that Translations.com may retain its historical knowledge and relationships concerning any legal or regulatory inquiries which may later arise. This practice is in the best interests of both parties so that identifying information relating to a particular matter is accessible but sufficiently discrete so that Translations.com does not accidentally contact them for projects in the future.

Choice – Translations.com's clients have the choice concerning what Personal Data is accessed, used or retained. In order to conduct business with our clients it is necessary to maintain contact information and specific billing information, but the extent of the information stored can always be discussed with a Translations.com Client Services Representative. Additionally, if there is a specific concern about the Personal Data found in the information provided to process a language services project (such as source, reference material, etc.), we recommend redacting this information prior to sending it to Translations.com or discussing alternative solutions with your Translations.com Client Services Representative. In addition, other steps may be taken which may include the forced anonymization of information and limitation of translation efforts to de-identified data only.

In order to better serve our client's needs and provide further information concerning services, Translations.com may, from time-to-time, send information on additional services we provide. Should any client decide that this information is not desirable, a client may opt-out of receiving this information by informing their Client Services Representative or by contacting the Translations.com Privacy Officer.
Translations.com employees have a choice concerning what information is shared with other employees, affiliates and third parties (such as clients). Such information will only be provided pursuant to such employees written consent and not used for any other purpose.

Onward Transfer – Translations.com will obtain assurances from employees and vendors that they will safeguard Personal Data consistent with our Privacy Policy. Translations.com will take all steps in accordance with the Privacy Policy to prevent, contain, or stop disclosure contrary to such entity's confidentiality obligations.

Access and Correction – Any individual CVE may request a copy of the Personal Data Translations.com has collected from Translations.com's Privacy Officer in accordance with applicable law, in addition to receiving confirmation of the contents of any Personal Data relating to the individual. Under applicable law, such individual CVE then has the right to correct, amend or delete information when it is inaccurate.

Clients may do so by contacting their Client Services Representative or by contacting the Translations.com Privacy Officer.
Except as may be required by law or during a registrar or regulatory audit, Translations.com will not provide this data to a third party without the consent of the CVE.

Vendors can do so by contacting EDPA@translations.com, a dedicated e-mail address to which such inquiries can be sent directly.

Employees can do so by contacting the Translations.com Human Resources department or the Translations.com Privacy Officer.

Data Integrity – Translations.com is dedicated to ensuring that all data maintained is accurate, updated, and relevant for the use contemplated by the CVE and will take all required steps to ensure the data is accurate, complete and current. This process is accomplished by regular email and written correspondence with CVEs; however, it is highly recommended that CVEs continue to monitor the information provided to Translations.com and remain proactive with requesting access to any Personal Data and advising Translations.com of the need for corrections as needed.

Data Security – Translations.com has strict physical and logical security procedures to ensure that all digital and paper records are secured (such policy is available for dissemination to clients upon written request to the Translations.com Privacy Officer). These records are accessible only by approved staff. All critical systems (e.g., servers) are accessible only by a small number of authorized staff. Translations.com's information security is managed internally and is routinely audited to ensure conformity with Translations.com procedures and recommended industry standards.

Enforcement – Translations.com undertakes to verify compliance with its Privacy Policy not less than once per year and in connection with Translations.com's annual review and internal compliance measures. Translations.com will use its best commercial efforts to ensure that compliance with this Privacy Policy is maintained and that the Privacy Policy is accurate, comprehensive, and continues to conform to applicable law. We encourage CVEs to raise and discuss any issues or concerns with Translations.com's Privacy Officer directly who address and resolve such complaints regarding the use of data and noncompliance with our Privacy Policy. All issues will be officially documented within the framework of our ISO 9001 certified quality management system.

Translations.com is committed to cooperate with EU data protection authorities (DPAs) as well as FDPIC, and comply with the advice given by such authorities with regard to human resources data transferred from the EU and/or Switzerland in the context of the employment relationship.

Translations.com provides information regarding the below through policies and trainings:

• Translations.com is subject to the investigatory and enforcement powers of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• The possibility, under certain conditions, for the individual to invoke binding arbitration
• The requirement for your organization to disclose personal information in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements
• Translations.com's liability in cases of onward transfers to third parties

With respect to complaints related to our Privacy Policy that cannot be resolved through our internal process, we agree to abide by the dispute resolution procedures established by the Privacy Shield frameworks.

Effective: May 2018