ISO Makes Key Additions to General Interpreting Standard

A new draft standard, ISO/DIS 18841, is under development by members of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to replace ISO 18841:2018, the existing general standard for interpreting.

As an independent non-governmental organization, with 175 member organizations around the globe, ISO has established a vast array of technical committees whose members develop standards in specific professional and technical domains.

The technical committee ISO/TC 37/SC 5 deals with “translation, interpreting and related technology.” At the time of writing, they have published 19 standards related to the language industry, and are currently developing 9 more, including updates to existing standards.

This committee produced the previous edition of ISO 18841, published in 2018, and is responsible for the development of the new draft standard.

As mentioned in the Slator Pro Guide: ISO Certifications for LSPs in the Era of AI, ISO 18841:2018 covers “basic principles and conditions governing interpreting as well as qualifications and competences of interpreters.” The standard applies to both spoken and sign language interpreters, providing requirements and recommendations for best practices. 

The 2025 revision to the standard includes updates to the terminology section and the addition of a new section dealing with “distance interpreting,” also called remote interpreting. Notably, the new draft standard is limited to human interpreting. The scope section expressly states, “AI-driven interpreting is outside the scope of this document.”

Slator reached out to Dr. Verónica Pérez Guarnieri for comment on this new revision to ISO 18841. Pérez Guarnieri is the convener for the WG2 working group within the ISO/TC 37/SC 5 technical committee, which focuses on interpreting.

She told Slator, “this standard has always aimed to provide a solid framework for interpreting services worldwide, ensuring quality, professionalism, and ethical practice.” She also noted that “ISO 18841:2018 was conceived as the umbrella standard for interpreting services, from which all specialist standards derive.”

Regarding the new revision to the standard, Pérez Guarnieri stated that “the new edition reflects the evolving landscape of our profession, where technology plays an increasingly significant role. While the standard continues to define interpreting as a human activity, it acknowledges the need to address the coexistence of technology and human expertise.”

“The new edition reflects the evolving landscape of our profession, where technology plays an increasingly significant role.” — Dr. Verónica Pérez Guarnieri

At the time of writing, the draft standard is in the “enquiry stage.” This includes a 12-week period for ISO members to vote on the draft and give comments, which was initiated on November 3, 2025.

If the draft standard passes without technical changes, it will be able to move forward for publication. However, if the comments received result in technical changes to the draft, the “approval stage” may be required.