About Atlas Translations

Cambridge, London, St Albans – this is the story of our translation agency. We’re a translation agency offering fast, certified translations, with qualified linguists, great customer service and ISO certification. This sort of thing doesn’t happen overnight though, and is the result our ongoing passion for what we do, our attention to detail and our total commitment to customer satisfaction.

1991 – that’s a while ago

That’s when we started, as a small translations agency in a tiny room above a bank in Cambridge in 1991. Hard to believe that we were delivering leaflets door to door by bicycle to advertise our translation agency services.
In 1995 new offices opened in London’s Covent Garden which became our HQ until we moved out of ‘The Big Smoke’ to the more serene environments of St Albans and Exeter.

Along the way we backed up our fast, efficient and friendly service with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17100 specifically for translation work. Guaranteed, certified, and delivered fast, with a smile. Read more about our ISO certification here.

As we grew, we received requests for much more than translation so evolved from a company that simply offered interpretation and translation to one that today provides a full mix of language services.

Cut to 2020 and as we already offered home working to all staff one day a week, we were very well set up to continue our work in the COVID 19 pandemic.

In 2024 we are busier than ever, serving our many clients with tip-top translations, and excellent customer, human service. We’d love to hear from you.

What do we do?

  • Personal translation services for certificates, CVs, diplomas and legal documents
  • 24-hour telephone interpreting for anyone, anywhere in the world who needs to be understood
  • Layout and typesetting services to ensure that your brochures and marketing materials are finished off with flair
  • Subtitling, voice-overs, production and studio time
  • Localisation and transcreation services to help you expand into new overseas markets
  • More than 340 languages
  • Specialist industry expertise

A timeline of our history

1991

Atlas Translations was born in Cambridge.

1993

We registered with The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), formerly The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP).

1994

We became members of The Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and The Association of Translation Companies (ATC).

1990s / early 2000s

New offices opened in Bath and Cumbria.

1995

New offices opened in Covent Garden.

2003

We became ISO 9001 certified.

2006

We became ISO 17100 certified.

2012

The London office moved to St Albans.

2016

We set up the Polar Bear Plunge and Coppafeel Bra Bank in our St Albans office.

2018

We started St Albans Postboxes.

2019

We implemented a 4-day working week for staff.

2020

New office opened in Devon.

2021

In our 30th year, we started the Exmouth Postboxes, opened the Bath office and won two awards with the Association of Translation Companies and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting.

Meet the people behind Atlas

Meet our team – it’s the people who make Atlas the exceptional company it is today, so they do deserve to have a section on the Atlas Translations website. Email them, call them or make an appointment to meet them.

For your peace of mind we hold ISO certification and much more:

  • BS EN ISO 9001:2015 (certified since 2003).
  • ISO 17100:2015 for Translation Services (since this standard began in 2008).
  • Corporate membership of ITI (the Institute of Translation and Interpreting) since 1994.
  • Corporate membership of the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) since 1993.
  • Full membership of the ATC (Association of Translation Companies).

Atlas Translations is here to support all your language and communication needs. No matter who you are, where you are, and what those needs may be.

Call us or send us an email to let us know what you need and we can help. We respond quickly to all enquiries.

Read more about our commitment to quality in our 2022 Round-Up, where we discuss new initiatives and celebrate winning Company of the Year with the Association of Translation Companies for the second year running.

Use the little icons here on the website for live chat (it really is one of us!) or request a call back within 27 seconds.

Our quality standards

What an excellent and prompt service! Thank you very much for the extremely fast turnaround and efficient service.

Scottish Prison Service

The translator did an impeccable job. The translation notes were not only helpful but showed a tremendous dedication to the task and outstanding professionalism all around. A very special thank you to Atlas.

Sistemas Congnitivos (SISCOG)

I was particularly impressed with the speed in which you turned the work around, and the quality of the work was excellent. Many thanks. It was a pleasure working with you.

Snell & Wilcox

Atlas have been translating (policy documents) for us into several languages since 2004. They are friendly and efficient and have always provided accurate and cost-effective translations well within the agreed deadlines.

Oxford Policy Management

Atlas provided another high-quality French translation of one of our policy briefs. They respond quickly to our needs and delivered a document that we were confident to send straight to printing and distribution. We’re happy to include Atlas as one of our trusted partners.

Future Agricultures Consortium

ATC – Full membership of the ATC (Association of Translation Companies).

CIEP – Corporate membership of the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) since 1993.

Corporate membership of the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting) since 1994. Corporate Member of the Year 2021.

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

ISO 9001 – BS EN ISO 9001:2015 (certified since 2003, externally audited annually).

Living wage employer – As a living wage employer, we believe our staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs.

Mindful employer

Mindful employer – We are a mindful employer, working toward achieving better mental health at work.

Logo

Disability confident committed – We are Disability Confident Committed, ensuring our recruitment, communications and support are inclusive and accessible.

4-day week

4-day week employer since 2019

GBC_Accredited_Logo

Good Business Charter Member since 2022

The Slator Language Service Provider Index (LSPI) is a ranking and an index of the world’s largest translation, localization, interpreting, and language technology companies.

PIF

The Patient Information Forum promotes access to trusted and high-quality health information for the public and healthcare professionals.

Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

Member of the Federation of Small Businesses and the Self-Employed

Prompt Payment Code

Signatory of the Prompt Payment Code since 2023.