In addition to advocating for its members, the Society also serves the public by applying a Code of Ethics that all of its members are bound to comply with and by setting and maintaining high professional standards through education and certification.

STIBC has the responsibility to manage all matters, including competency, fitness, and professional conduct, relating to the practice of translation and interpretation by its members; STIBC also establishes and enforces professional standards.

STIBC protects the public interest by:

  • Setting and enforcing high professional and ethical standards;
  • Promoting and increasing the competence of members by providing a comprehensive program of ongoing professional development;
  • Enforcing practice standards and rules of professional conduct of its members; and
  • Handling complaints fairly and efficiently by means of investigation and adjudication.

With respect to the last point, an Ethics Committee has been established to address complaints.  The Ethics Committee is comprised of a Chair, Complaint Officers, and a Disciplinary Panel.  Part 15 of the STIBC Bylaws sets out additional specific powers of the Ethics Committee, the Complaint Officers, and the Disciplinary Panel.

To file a complaint, please send an e-mail message to ethics@stibc.org.

Complaint Officers

The Complaint Officers’ role is to investigate the conduct of a member when directed to do so by the Board or at the written request of any person, in accordance with the provisions in Part 15 of the STIBC Bylaws.   The Chair of the Ethics Committee appoints Ethics Committee members as Complaint Officers to conduct an investigation. Where members of the Ethics Committee are too few to serve as Complaint Officers, the Board of Directors will appoint the additional person(s) required for this purpose from among STIBC’s Certified Members.

The Complaint Officers have the authority to investigate members in order to determine whether grounds exist for disciplinary action against that person. The Complaint Officers also have the authority to request information, records or items relevant to the investigation.

The Complaint Officers are accountable to the Society for:

  • Overseeing the ethics investigation program as described in the Bylaws of STIBC;
  • Contacting and liaising with the member under investigation;
  • Reviewing the investigation reports;
  • Determining whether grounds exist for disciplinary action;
  • Making recommendations for sanctions and/or remedial action;
  • Bringing the member’s conduct to the attention of the Disciplinary Panel for adjudication in those matters deemed by the Complaint Officers to warrant a formal discipline hearing;
  • Communicating in writing with both the complainant and the member under investigation regarding the results of their deliberations; and
  • Publishing a summary of cases reviewed by the Ethics Committee for the information and guidance of all members.

Disciplinary Panel

In accordance with the provisions set out in Part 15 of STIBC’s Bylaws, the Disciplinary Panel’s purpose is to hear Statements of Complaint as delivered to it by the Complaint Officers. Upon receipt of a Statement of Complaint issued by the Complaint Officers, the Chair of the Ethics Committee will appoint ethics committee members to a three-person Disciplinary Panel to conduct a hearing.

Where there are not enough members of the Ethics Committee to complete a three-person panel, the Board of Directors will appoint the additional person(s) required for this purpose from among the Certified members of the STIBC.

The Disciplinary Panel has the authority to inquire, in accordance with the Bylaws, into the competence, fitness to practice, or professional conduct of any member.