Published: March 2026 – Review date: March 2027
Who we are
Words We Trust is a specialist EN→FR translation practice based in Nice, France, working across humanitarian, legal, regulatory, and environmental fields. As a home-based sole proprietorship, our direct environmental footprint is minimal — but our impact through the documents we translate is significant.
1. Climate — reducing our footprint
Baseline: As a sole proprietor working from a home office, our emissions are limited to electricity, digital infrastructure, and occasional professional travel.
Current actions:
- Paperless operations by default
- Energy-efficient technology
- Digital communication prioritised over physical materials
- No commute — fully home-based
Targets: - 50% emissions reduction by 2030 (SME Climate Hub / UN Race to Zero commitment)
- Net zero by 2040
- Measure our baseline emissions within 12 months using SME Climate Hub tools
- No offsetting — reduction first
2. Nature and biodiversity — impact through our work
Our most material contribution to nature and biodiversity is through the organisations we serve and the documents we translate.
Current actions:
- Translation of IUCN reports and environmental policy documentation
- Work on protected area management plans and environmental impact assessments
- Biodiversity and FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) documentation
- Prioritising clients whose work supports conservation and environmental governance
Commitment: - Continue to actively seek and prioritise client work that supports biodiversity conservation
- Leverage our proximity to Mediterranean protected areas to support local environmental organisations
3. Social and racial justice — precision that protects people
Translation in the humanitarian and legal sectors directly affects access to protection, justice, and essential services.
Current actions:
- Translation of asylum claims, displacement reports, and refugee documentation
- Safeguarding documentation
- Pro bono translation supporting multiple SDGs: quality education (SDG 4), gender equality and safeguarding (SDG 5), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), climate action (SDG 13), peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16)
- Advocacy within the translation profession for accuracy, ethics, and cultural sensitivity when handling documents affecting vulnerable populations
Commitment: - Maintain pro bono capacity alongside commercial work
- Uphold the highest standards of confidentiality and ethical practice in all humanitarian translation
- Advocate for human judgment over machine translation in high-stakes asylum and protection contexts
4. Accountability
- Signatory: SME Climate Commitment (UN Race to Zero)
- Member: Business Declares
- Published: Words We Trust Stakeholder Commitment Statement
- This plan will be reviewed and updated annually
Full mission and commitments: https://www.wordswetrust.com/mission/