Our mission

ProZ Pro Bono's mission is to help non-profits break their language barriers, ensuring that language is never an obstacle to survival or to improving quality of life. PPB does this by providing professional freelance linguists with opportunities to:

do good in the world,
leverage their skills in favor of causes they deem worthy,
develop professionally while doing so.

Our story

A truly global community that just keeps growing.

ProZ.com began as the brainchild of translator Henry Dotterer back in 1999, and has been dedicated ever since to helping freelance translators and interpreters fulfil their potential and grow their businesses. Over the last 26 years it has evolved into the world's biggest translator and interpreter marketplace and network, made up of translators and interpreters working in and out of hundreds of language combinations.

Apart from their regular commercial activity, many of the freelance professionals that make up this network have generously offered their time and skills down the years to supporting various causes that make a difference in the world.

It is that spirit that underlines the ProZ Pro Bono project, launched in 2022.

Whether they are new and looking to build their CVs, or highly experienced and seeking to "give back", these translators and interpreters all share one aim: to make a difference, and to apply the highest professional standards in doing so.

The members of ProZ.com have made the entire ProZ Pro Bono operation possible from day one, and we are indebted and grateful to them.

Our core values

Transparency: We hold ourselves accountable to our volunteers, clients, and the public by being transparent in our actions and decisions.

Commitment to excellence: We are dedicated to providing the highest quality language services to individuals and organizations around the world. We strive for excellence in everything we do, from our volunteer recruitment and training to our service delivery.

Stewardship: We commit to being socially, financially, and environmentally responsible.

Ethics: We are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and governance. We believe in fostering a culture of empathy, understanding and compassion towards all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Inclusivity: We celebrate diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work and welcome individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs, valuing their unique perspectives. We believe in fostering a culture of empathy, understanding and compassion towards all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances, as well as a positive and inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and grow.

Learning: We seek to learn both from the program's experience and from that of all stakeholders, from the Board to the Clients and Volunteers, and are constantly updating our processes and resources. Likewise, we also promote continuing professional development amongst all our volunteers.

Innovation: We embrace innovation and creativity in our approach to providing language services, constantly seeking new and effective ways to meet the evolving needs of our clients and volunteers.

Internationalism: We strive to promote a sense of global citizenship within our organization, bringing people together, encouraging communication and learning between all parts of the globe to create community.

Our numbers

ProZ Pro Bono keeps detailed track of volunteers, projects done, words translated, time donated, and partners served. You can see some of these statistics by clicking on the image below (you will be redirected to a statistics dashboard for ProZ Pro Bono).

Our team

Our team are here to oversee the program, help it grow, ensure efficiency, reach out to partners and supporters alike and communicate with the world.

Nesrine Echroudi

Project management, partner outreach, onboarding

Tunisia

Cynthia Ferrer

Project management, partner outreach, onboarding

Ireland

Jared Tabor

Director

Argentina

Our board

The language industry professionals who make up the ProZ Pro Bono Board come from all sectors of the industry and parts of the world. They bring not only diversity but immense experience of our sector.

Claudia Brauer

Linguist

Yuna Guillamot

Linguist

Henry Dotterer

President, ProZ.com

Our technology partners

tech-partners

ProZ Pro Bono is able to operate efficiently and keep costs low thanks to the following platforms and software providers, who have graciously provided support through their official non-profit programs:

If you represent a software or platform provider that wants to help ProZ Pro Bono focus on its mission, please get in touch!

ProZ Pro Bono at a glance

Most of this website is in English, but we also wanted to offer our friends and clients from countries around the world a chance to find out about the program in their own languages.

Frequently asked questions

Is there any payment involved in ProZ Pro Bono's work?

None at all. ProZ Pro Bono is 100% cashless. Our volunteers freely donate their time and skills, and we never ask any of our clients for payment in any form. The only thing we ask is that our translators are credited where appropriate, for example on published materials.

I'm a translator or interpreter. Do I need to be experienced to contribute?

We're happy to work with all willing volunteers. If you're right at the start of your career, we partner you with more experienced colleagues so that we can ensure professional quality for our clients, but apart from that, if you're eager to join, we're excited to have you on board. Be prepared to collaborate with others, and to receive feedback where appropriate. If you are experienced, you are also extremely welcome of course, and you can play a vital role in delivering quality work or supporting others.

Do I have to be a paying member of ProZ.com to participate as a volunteer?

Not at all. We do encourage volunteers to look at the many benefits of membership but it's not a condition. Bear in mind that the entire program is supported by the paying contributions of members, so being a member is another way to contribute to the program's goals. As a volunteer, you will need a registered profile on the ProZ.com site, which will allow the systems we use for project notification and tracking, word counts, etc., to work.

Is the program open all year round?

Yes! There are busy periods and less busy periods as in any professional cycle, but we're always here.

Is there a minimum monthly translation requirement?

No. The spirit of volunteering is about doing as much as you want, whenever you feel like it. There are no requirements of obligations, beyond the basic ground rules of professionalism such as communication and deadlines

How do we verify the legitimacy of partners to avoid potential misuse of translations for commercial purposes?

ProZ Pro Bono's director meets and speaks with all new partners, and the first question we ask on the Partner onboarding form is whether they are a non-profit. In the unlikely chance anyone slips through that process and proves to have commercial aims, we will of course stop working with them immediately.

What does the program do for volunteers? Is our work credited?

We are always happy to give social media reviews to translators, and recommendations to potential clients. Meanwhile, any translations that are published (books, films etc) always credit the translator. However, some of the work we do is for in-house documentation or forms, and clearly in such cases the translator is not mentioned.

Can I help in other ways if I have no time to translate?

There are many ways to help ProZ Pro Bono. By following us, sharing posts or even writing about it on social media, by helping us identify worthy non-profits in your area, and in a variety of other ways, including becoming an Ambassador, getting involved in admin tasks . Just drop us a line and tell us a little about yourself and we'll find a role for you.

Another way of helping ProZ Pro Bono is by donating. Donations are what help cover ProZ Pro Bono's operating costs and will enable the program to reach more and more organizations in need of the kind of assistance and support we provide. You can donate to keep ProZ Pro Bono going from the Support us page.