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International language services “Made in Germany”

The German economy is international. No company can manage without language services when doing business worldwide. The translation and interpreting sector is therefore also growing constantly. There are a host of providers ranging from freelancers and Internet translators to translation companies in Germany and abroad.

QSD, Qualitätssprachendienste Deutschlands e.V., is an association of medium-sized German companies in the language services sector. One of its aims is to elucidate the quality factor and provide guidance in the heterogeneous translation market. The members of QSD are committed to the topic of quality and quality assurance, since a company’s international success can depend on the quality of its translations. By reverse token, the reputation of the entire industry can be damaged if the translation quality is lacking.

Translations with quality assurance

All QSD members have certified quality assurance systems according to DIN EN ISO 9001 or ISO 17100, or proven quality assurance in line with the QSD quality guidelines. Before being admitted to the association, they had to undergo an audit process. That makes the association, founded in 1998, unique in the German-speaking world and a pioneer in the industry with regard to quality assurance.

As a further quality assurance measure, the members support young talent, offering training in the form of internships and trainee positions. QSD is an active member of EUATC (European Union of Associations of Translation Companies). EUATC is committed to assuring the quality of language services at European level. QSD is also associated with the BDÜ, Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer e.V., in the form of an extraordinary membership.

Who are the members of QSD?

The QSD members include both companies focusing solely on translation and those with highly specialized know-how relating to international communication. Alongside the standard translation and interpreting services offered by all the members, QSD also has experts in terminology management, transcreation or multilingual text creation. Some members specialize in technical translations, in translating marketing texts, or also in financial communication.

All members of the association share a high level of quality awareness. This awareness is accompanied by the use of state-of-the-art digital technologies, translation memory systems, and the management of multilingual translation processes. Added to this are “softer” factors such as professional communication, consulting, adherence to delivery dates, and good availability. QSD is a German association; most of the member companies are owner-managed. The members are based in various German cities and offer language services “Made in Germany.” The list of members, complete with contact details, can be found on the QSD members page.