Latest from the blog

Posted on10 February 2014

This week at Atlas…

‘Never a dull day around here’… Although, this week we are working on translation of some payslips and bank statements.

You may well be yawning in sympathy with the poor English/ Spanish translator who has to trawl through these (and aren’t they predominantly figures anyway?), but this work could play a small part in an incredible romance story.

Ross Procter (25) of Norwich, left his desk job in April 2012 to head for the sunnier skies of Ecuador, to try his hand at teaching English in the jungle town of Puyo.

He went without a word of Spanish in his head, but despite a monumental language barrier, he fell hopelessly in love with the sister of one of his colleagues at the school where he worked.

Ross said he and Ximena hit it off over his ‘gringo inability to dance’, and her desire to teach him.

He said: “From the start, even though I couldn’t speak Spanish we understood each other. She was about the only person I could communicate with.”

He only remembers one incident where their communication failed. Popping to the shop he asked what she wanted, “helado” came the response, and he came back with a huge bag of ice. She had in fact just wanted an ice cream.

Ross and Ximena (27) were together for 16 months before he had to return to the UK, and now the race is on to see each other again. They speak via Skype whenever they can, but to be together Ximena needs a visa.  With neither one fluent in the other’s language Ross turned to Atlas for help to ensure all the documents to support her visa application are correct.

We’re waiting with anticipation to see what happens next and whether Ross and Ximena will have the chance for their ‘happy ever after’.
 

ISO 17100 – ISO 17100:2017 for Translation Services (since this standard began, in 2008, externally audited annually).
Mindful employer

Mindful Employer Plus – As a Charter member, our team have access to an Employee Assistance Program with 24/7/365 support, as we work toward achieving better mental health at work.
Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

A proud member of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), a dynamic and inclusive not-for-profit membership organisation. FSB is dedicated to supporting and empowering small businesses across the UK and is committed to fostering an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive, innovate, and succeed.

Atlas Translations has been accredited by the Fair Tax Foundation since February 2024. The Fair Tax Foundation is a not-for-profit social enterprise developed by a team of tax justice, corporate responsibility, and ethical consumer experts. It was launched in 2014.

We’ve been registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) since 2004. Go to https://ico.org.uk/ for more information.

We hold a full membership in the Association of British HealthTech Industries. The ABHI supports the HealthTech community by providing products and services that help people live healthier lives. As the voice of the industry, we show the value of health technology and overcome barriers to people benefitting from it now and in the future.

Certified since 2003, externally audited annually. ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), applicable across all sectors. ISO 9001 provides a framework to respond to changing quality requirements in line with changing demands across society, economics and the environment.
Logo

Disability Confident Committed is creating a movement of change, encouraging employers like ourselves to think differently about disability and take action to improve how we recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being a DCC employer is a unique opportunity to lead the way in our community and show that we’re a disability inclusive employer.

Corporate membership of the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) since 1994. Corporate Member of the Year 2021. ITI is the only UK-based independent professional membership association for practising translators, interpreters and all those involved in the language services sector.

CIEP: We’ve held Corporate membership Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading since 1993. CIEP are an international membership organisation that offers training and community for editorial professionals (copy editors and proofreaders) while helping members develop business confidence.

ATC: We hold full membership with the Association of Translation Companies, a trade association representing the interests of language service companies in the UK and internationally. It is the leading voice for companies operating in the UK’s language services industry.

Living Wage Employer: As a living wage employer, we believe our staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs. The Living Wage Foundation has a mission to encourage employers to play their part in tackling in-work and post-work poverty and provide a decent standard of living by paying the real Living Wage, adopting Living Hours and Living Pensions as well as wider good employment practices.
4-day week

Proudly a 4-Day Week Employer since 2019. Amongst other items, the 4-Day Week initiative calls for a reduction to the maximum working week from 48 hours per week to 32 hours per week by 2030.

 
GBC_Accredited_Logo

A member of the Good Business Charter since 2022. The GBC is a simple accreditation that organisations of all sizes in the UK can apply for in recognition of responsible business practices.
PIF

We’re a proud member of the Patient Information Forum (PIF), a membership organisation for anyone producing health information and support. PIF promote access to trusted, evidence-based health information for patients, carers, the public and healthcare professionals.