A culture of compliance encompasses a set of values, behaviors, and attitudes guiding individuals within an organization to adhere to policies, procedures, and regulations. This framework facilitates better decision-making at all levels, ensuring alignment with the business’s rules.
At Terra, our commitment to fostering a culture of compliance goes beyond mere adherence to standards. We emphasize cultivating a sense of belonging and shared purpose among team members. Our dedication to continuous improvement stems from the firm belief that there is always room for enhancement, presenting opportunities for growth and innovation.
This commitment to compliance is evident in our ISO-certified services maintained since 2019 and our strict adherence to HIPAA regulations. Read on to learn more about how we nurture compliance culture at Terra.
ISO Certifications
We strive to select certifications that truly enhance our operations and client services. The ISO 9001 and 17100 standards drive our quality-oriented translation services.
To maintain these certifications through the years, we develop structured training programs and strategic initiatives to provide each team member with the latest tools and encourage them to embrace new technologies. Throughout this process, we constantly review our procedures. Thanks to these efforts, our team members understand their pivotal role in our quality management system and diligently apply best practices in their daily tasks.
HIPAA Compliance
As a language service provider, we have a strong commitment to language access. However, we understand that in the healthcare space specifically, a lot of sensitive and confidential information is shared in the translation projects our client entrusts us. As such, we need to handle these files with the utmost care. The compliance culture we first cultivated among our team with ISO allowed us to pursue HIPAA compliance with confidence. Every individual handling ePHI projects understands the importance of safeguarding this information, shares these values, and does everything in their power to uphold them.
Compliance is a Team Effort
If a compliance issue arises, the focus becomes identifying the root cause of the problem—not the person responsible for it. During non-conformity analyses, individuals from diverse company teams work together to examine deviations, gain a deeper comprehension of the origin of the problem, and collectively devise solutions.
While compliance is mainly an internal process, external validation is essential to maintain our clients’ trust. Terra hires experienced external auditors to conduct comprehensive reviews. These internal audits are invaluable learning experiences, where team members see firsthand the impact their compliance efforts have on the team results. This independent evaluation leaves no room for improvisation. At the same time, it enables us to identify areas for improvement in our processes.
The Takeaway
Fostering a culture of compliance isn’t easy, but organizations that prioritize it set themselves up for long-term success. At Terra, we navigate the path to continuous improvement with a compass of transparency, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
