“I’m so proud of what we accomplished as a team with Terra this year,” CEO of Terra Marina Ilari said, “What makes me most excited is the fact that we continue to work with our values of quality, inclusion, and team-spirit front and center of everything that we do!”

Now let’s spend some time together reflecting on 2022!

We Got New Branding

We started the year off on a strong note by finalizing Terra’s brand refresh. We felt a call to refresh our branding, as Terra evolved significantly over the past few years and deserved branding that illustrated that evolution. The main goal during this refresh process was to highlight our strong company culture and our commitment to partnership with our clients.

We Grew Our Team

Our team has grown so much in 2022 — by 97% to be exact! A significant part of that growth is thanks to our LQA work where we specialize in 13 different languages. We keep welcoming new members to the Terra family every day.

We Came Together

After two and a half years, we finally had our annual in-person event in Buenos Aires in August. It was a lovely weekend where we had the opportunity to meet people in person who we had only met on video calls and over digital chat. This event gave us a chance to get to know each other better thanks to team-building activities and a party joined by freelance linguists that collaborate with Terra on a regular basis.

We also had the chance to connect with each other and other industry colleagues by returning to industry conferences now that the world is opening up more. Members of our team attended:

• MATI
• CUTI 2022!
• ATA
• DevLearn & LocWorld
• BIG (Best International Games Festival)
• GALA San Diego—we presented a session titled Before You Scale: How to Survive (And Thrive) in Periods of Growth
• Gamescom
• Game Connection
• Women In Localization
• Language & The Media
• EVA
• Immerse Global Summit

We Achieved Certifications

At Terra, we pride ourselves on being a nice place to work and having a strong company culture. We went through the Great Place to Work (GPTW) certification process for a consecutive year and passed, seeing improvements in the overall results. This certification allows us to be considered for several rankings and during 2022 we ranked in the following (in our segment, which is up to 250 collaborators):

• #15 – Best Places to work in Argentina
• #12 – Best Workplace to work for Women
• #9 – Best workplaces to work for Millennials

We also achieved a new honor and landed a spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America list. Our CEO Marina Ilari also received recognition as the CEO of one of the 19 fastest-growing LSPs.

We Gave Back

Giving back to our community is a value shared by everyone at Terra. In 2022 we continued our support through Terra Cares to organizations like Chicas en Tecnología, Doctors without Borders, and Asociación de Desarrolladores de Videojuegos Argentinos. Their projects amounted to 113,832 translated words in total. We look forward to all the exciting challenges and achievements that 2023 will surely bring and can’t wait to share how the year unfolded this time next year. From everyone at Terra, we wish you a healthy and happy new year!

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What is GPTW?

GPTW is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors. These attributes guarantee market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation. The certification aims to make the world a better place by recognizing companies with healthy and engaging workplaces.

In order to be certified by GPTW, organizations are given a comprehensive employee survey. Over the course of a two-week period, the company will also complete a Cultural Proposal that summarizes the work environment and culture. Upon completing these reports, a third-party committee reviews submissions and identifies whether the organization meets GPTW’s certification criteria.

GPTW Year Two

Last year Terra earned an impressive 93 out of 100 regarding employees’ opinions on Terra being a great place to work. This year we did even better, scoring 98 out of 100. Not only is this score higher, but Terra also had a higher overall average for survey statements, rising from 92 to 94. After Terra shares the results with teams, we do something unique. We organize special meetings with every team member and HR to review the results and discuss any additional needs they may have. This is to ensure our employees have a safe space to comfortably voice their opinions they find difficult to share within a larger group. Terra implements feedback from our team members at every level of the organization.

Earning this designation for a consecutive year signifies Terra’s growth and commitment to employee well-being. The GPTW team supported Terra throughout the 2021 year to better connect our employees’ passions with their work. Their guidance has been critical to our continued success and our overall survey score improvement.

Our Commitment Continues

Terra will continue building an empowering workplace with ongoing initiatives such as our well-being program and career enrichment. For instance, we ensure that our team has the necessary equipment and accessories that make their jobs more comfortable. We hold stretching sessions and share articles that promote mindfulness. Additionally, we identify skill gaps and offer training programs that allow employees to grow their skills and knowledge. Lastly, as a remote company, we work diligently to curate social spaces and strengthen interpersonal relationships. This includes launching an employee recognition program where staff nominates their colleagues. We also have a dedicated studio where employees can gather to work or meet in person as they like. To ensure a positive and effective impact on our employees, we adapt our initiatives to their needs. They can choose to participate or not with an open invitation to share how we can improve.

People First

With a people-first approach to company culture, Terra believes in authentic and genuine care for our staff.

“We firmly believe that people are the most important thing in our company. And that is not just a mere catchphrase: It’s a reality,” explained Natalia Quintás, Chief People Officer at Terra. “We consider people in every decision we make.”

Unfortunately, not all companies promote a work culture where everyone feels like they belong. The threat of disconnection and division looms as our future grows more remote. For management, the transition and engaging a remote workforce can be daunting. At Terra, we emphasize inclusivity and diversity and let every person know that we’re in this together. We are not a company driven by competition but by collaboration, we complement each other.

As we continue our journey of learning, we consider GPTW a vital tool in this evolution. The feedback from this survey and our post-survey check-ins will only help us improve and become a stronger organization for our team and future team members as our company grows. We set our sights on next year’s certification, as it will be an achievement we will continue to strive for.

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This year’s awards were presented by the Go Global Judging Panel consisting of 15 distinguished business and government leaders from across the globe.

Winning an Award – or receiving a placement or honorable mention – is no small feat. The 2021 Go Global Awards received a total of 6416 entries from organizations in over 178 countries. The breadth of award nominations was truly amazing.

The International Trade Council recognizes organizations who, in the face of a global pandemic, have displayed leadership, resilience, and innovation, while embracing change and supporting their employees and communities in a way never seen before.

Originally launched in 1989, The International Trade Council’s Go Global Awards celebrate organizations that drive the global economy through their innovations, technologies, and strategies.

The Go Global Awards follow a rigorous three-tiered selection process. Candidates begin the application process with a pre-screening and ranking phase. The top 20% of nominations across all categories are then cross-reviewed to ensure consistency. Finalists are then selected and move forward to the live judging event, where they present before independent members of the Go Global Awards Committee. The Awards Committee then cross-reviews the finalist presentations and the final decisions are announced at the Go Global Awards Day.

The Awards bring together hundreds of senior executives from some of the world’s most innovative manufacturers, exporters, technology firms, international service providers, venture capital firms, and financial institutions.

While the Go Global Awards offer the opportunity to be recognized and honored by their peers it also goes beyond winning trophies and citations. The program aims to build a community of senior executives from across the globe to support one another, share ideas, create partnerships, and build on their existing knowledge and connections. For more information about the Go Global Awards, please visit www.goglobalawards.org

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What is Great Place to Work? 

GPTW is an organization whose goal is to build a better world by helping other organizations become a great place to work. In order to get certified by GPTW, you begin by surveying your employees. Over the course of a two-week period, you’ll complete their Culture Brief and participate in their Trust Index, which is a research-backed employee experience survey. Once you’ve completed both the Trust Index and the Culture Brief, you have to prove your organization meets GPTW’s criteria for getting certified.

How Terra Got Certified

We couldn’t be prouder to be the first Argentinian translation company to become certified. Natalia Quintás, our Chief People Officer, was the one who worked towards getting Terra certified. She had previously worked with GPTW in multinational companies and had experienced the great impact that the model has to improve daily work life and team relationships. She adapted some of what she learned internally at Terra back in 2018, by measuring our team member’s satisfaction with an internal survey. Taking the insights gained from that survey, we implemented successful action plans. In 2020 she realized that it was time to begin to work with GPTW as partners in this process.

“I want to thank each member of our team for participating so honestly in this initiative and for being committed to building a Great Place to Work together,” Natalia said, “This experience can only be created by a team that really wants to work in a healthy environment.”

A Look at the Numbers

One benefit of becoming GPTW certified is gaining insight into how other organizations performed during the survey. As a female-founded company, we’re so proud that 99% of our team members think that Terra is a workplace where people are treated fairly regardless of their gender. Organizations like ours (up to 250 staff members) had 78% of employees reporting they are offered training or development to further themselves professionally, while at Terra this thought is shared by 92% of the people. 97% of our team members also reported that when they look at what our team accomplishes, they feel a sense of pride. 

Teamwork is a key part of why Terra is such a great place to work, which is why we are so proud that 100% feel that when it’s time to close a deal with a client, it becomes a priority for everyone. This truly speaks to our commitment to delivering the best service and giving our best on every single occasion.

Here’s a look at some of our other top rankings!

A Commitment to the Terra Family

We are happy to report that this is not the first time Terra’s employee-centric culture has been recognized. In September of 2020, Terra received the Focus on the Future Award because of our commitment to culture. 

“Terra has a great culture with remarkable values such as, proactivity, innovation, diversity, team spirit authenticity and trust and this certification gives us the opportunity to recognize it internally and externally and go deeper in our commitment to create a great place to work to each person that gets in touch with Terra and its team,” Natalia said. 

At Terra, people really matter. Our top priority is always the person and the experience that we have in our daily work. Terra is dynamic, flexible and understanding with each situation we have to go through and we are continuously adapting to accompany our team in their personal and professional journeys.

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The language services and technology industry includes more than 27,000 players worldwide, ranging from boutique local agencies to large global companies. This diverse group of language service providers (LSPs) and translation technology vendors adds up to a multi-billion-dollar global industry. Based on 2020 verified revenues, independent market research firm CSA Research has named Terra as one of the providers leading the delivery of language services globally, ranking it as the 2nd largest LSP in Latin America and the Caribbean.   

Terra is a localization company who provides expert and tailored language services so companies can connect with a global audience. Our dynamic portfolio encompasses every major language, with a focus on all dialects of Spanish.  

“People worldwide prefer consuming information in their own language. Meeting this expectation fuels an indispensable multi-billion-dollar industry of language service and technology providers that keeps growing to support global digital transformation, help companies and governments improve customer experience, and respond to continuing globalization,” comments Dr. Donald A. DePalma, CSA Research’s Chief Research Officer.

Study Methodology 

CSA Research uses structured and documented methodologies to ensure independent and reliable data-driven research for language service providers, technology vendors, global enterprises, and investors. The rankings of the largest suppliers are based on confirmed revenue from 2020. This is the 17^th year CSA Research has studied the language services industry and the 5th year Terra has appeared in the rankings. 

Included in CSA Research’s global market study is the ranking of the largest 186 language services and translation technology providers, ranked globally as well as across eight regions.

About Terra

Terra has been at the forefront of the modern work environment since our inception; based mainly in Argentina and the United States, our team is fully virtual. Terra’s global team allows us to better serve our clients by quickly responding to requests regardless of time zones, as well as localize for the world by leveraging talent from around the world.

Since Terra was first established over 20 years ago as a family- and women-owned business, company leadership has worked diligently to embrace all employees as family. This culture is nurtured by promoting a collaborative and supportive work environment, empowering strong leadership at all organization levels, and by celebrating company successes.

About CSA Research

CSA Research, formerly Common Sense Advisory, is an independent market research company specialized in the language services industry. It provides data-based research on globalization, internationalization, localization, interpreting, and translation technology. http://www.csa-research.com | @CSA_Research 

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While I am so grateful for our kind, supportive, and hard-working team every day of the year, as 2020 ends I can’t help but reflect on how special they made an undeniably difficult year. Without them, Terra could not have achieved everything we did this year, from supporting charities we’re passionate about to delivering unparalleled results for our amazing clients. 

Our Team’s Achievements

My gratitude for our team extends well past what they achieve, but I am also so proud of all the achievements born out of their hard work and commitment to excellence. While our team accomplished great things every day, these are a few of our standout moments. 

• Terra solidifies top spot as a boutique translation company on the Slator 2020 LSPI
• Terra Passes ISO Audit Amid Challenging Times
• Terra Recognized Among Latin America’s Top LSPs

We were also awarded the Focus on the future Award, which meant so much to our entire team. Terra received this award for maintaining an employee-centric focus by managing the health and well-being of our workforce. This award was so meaningful to us because it confirmed we were doing our best to create a healthy and happy working environment, especially when the pandemic hit.

Growth Amongst Challenges

In December 2019 our team was made up of 55 members. I am so thrilled to report that during 2020, 34 members joined our team, which amounted to a 62% growth rate. Most of our new additions took on Project Management roles, but some are linguists who work in quality assurance and editor roles.

Like all businesses, we faced a unique set of challenges due to the onset of COVID-19. We are so proud of how our team weathered so many sudden changes. At the beginning of the pandemic, many people were struggling with lockdown and working remotely for the first time. Having always worked remotely, we wanted to send positive vibes and help in any way we could. We created a video with positive messages to show support from our team members. 

Even though we’re accustomed to working remotely, we know firsthand how many challenges there were to overcome. Our team members were not used to having “more people at home”. Between children not going to school and partners suddenly working from home as well, things could get loud and crowded during the workday. We are extremely thankful and proud of everyone for rising to these challenges and supporting their teammates when they needed it most.

How We Gave Back 

At Terra, giving back to our community is a core value that we all share. Philanthropy is something that is widely supported by our team. In 2016, we launched an initiative called Terra Cares which provides pro-bono translation services to select healthcare and legal-focused non-profit organizations within our communities. In 2018, we expanded our efforts by partnering with Doctors Without Borders, a global non-profit that provides medical services to areas in crisis around the world. Our Terra Cares program aims to eliminate economic barriers and leverage social connections to improve people’s lives. 

We participate in a variety of philanthropic opportunities that support our local communities and our industry as a whole. 

In 2020 we presented at multiple online conferences on a wide spectrum of topics, including:

• “Nurturing a Remote Workforce: The Peaks, the Pits, and Some Tips for Leveraging Global Talent” at GALA
• “How to nurture and sustain a thriving remote workforce” at ALC
• Scale Up “5 Questions With” video series

Our video game localization division, Terra Localizations,  also participated in industry events and virtual opportunities like:

• BIG DIGITAL, where Florencia Fole and I presented “The LATAM MARKET UNTAPPED” 
• EVA DIGITAL 2020, where Florencia Fole and I presented “Diversity in Work Teams”

We created useful resources that we hope provide insight into the challenges that working remotely can cause, such as:

• Video Calls Best Practices: Before, During and After
• Homemade Offices: Terra’s Tips for a Successful Remote Workplace
• 10 Tips for Working From Home Securely
• How to Recruit Talent Worldwide

Our Annual Team Building Event

For the past few years, we’ve come together at the end of the year in Buenos Aires for team building activities and a special dinner. This is really important to us because it’s the one time a year we all get to spend time together face to face. 

In 2019 while we were in Buenos Aires for the annual event, a small group of Terra teammates worked on the shooting of a dozen videos for social media which included the stellar performance of a dog, who we named “Fuzzy” (a tongue in cheek reference to fuzzy matches in CAT tools).

We had a fantastic time shooting them and have really enjoyed sharing them with the rest of our team (and the world) so that everyone could see what we were up to. The videos have premiered monthly in 2020 and these are a few of our favorites!

Of course, this year doing this annual event was not possible, but we didn’t let distance stop us from bonding as a team. Thankfully, the wonders of technology meant that we could still get together for a fun-filled couple of hours to celebrate what has been an undoubtedly challenging year for us all. We had a safe and socially distant Zoom party and spent a couple of hours playing games and having some fun together.

As a virtual team, meeting in person once a year has been amazing for our team-building and culture. So this year we put a lot of thought into what we could do virtually that would actually be super fun and not just feel like another Zoom meeting.

What’s to Come? 

As a team, I know we’re all looking forward to starting a new year and a new chapter. Our video game localization division in particular will be taking advantage of the new year’s fresh start. During 2020, this division underwent aesthetic changes, which included a new logo, and illustrations designed by the extremely talented Hector Adrián Rodera.

We are excited to embrace some new changes next year and can’t wait for you to see what we have up our sleeves. Hint — we all deserve a little refresh from time to time.

In 2021 and beyond, we hope to continue to grow our team, our services, and our philanthropic work. Each year we become stronger together. Cheers!

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Terra is the proud recipient of the Focus on the Future Award in the True Colors category for maintaining an employee-centric focus by managing the health and well-being of their workforce. 

As many companies were forced to adopt a work-from-home environment beginning in March 2020, members of the Terra team are often asked how the company has been able to maintain a family-friendly culture while expanding the team and working virtually.  “It takes a lot of hard work and determination from company leadership. Our values of quality, care, loyalty, and a deep commitment to family and community are present in every decision we make. Leadership in our company are thought of as ambassadors of our values and make a constant effort to listen and value each employee, promote this culture for new hires, and constantly share the history and vision of the family business,” said Ms. Ilari.  Decisions to safeguard the culture of Terra are not easy and, in some cases, can potentially impact profitability. However, time has shown that when a company can support and value employees and the community with a broader focus than just profits, the company continues to grow stronger and more profitable.

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Know the Standards

For those looking to pursue one of these certification processes, it is important to have a clear understanding of the concept of “quality”. A QMS needs to be designed as a system of continuous improvement. Designing this system requires a meticulous study of the processes that a company follows so that you can then evaluate the best strategy for applying the requirements of the standard. ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 are two different types of certification that serve different needs. 

In short, ISO 9001 is a type of certification that is not geared towards a specific industry. ISO 9001 generally regulates a company’s QMS, which includes a company’s regulation of responsibilities, processes, and workflows. The goal of this certification is to enhance customer satisfaction via the effective application of a set system. Unlike ISO 9001, which any industry can utilize, ISO 17100 is a certification designed for use in the translation industry. ISO 17100 establishes the requirements for language service providers and regulates the process that a team must follow during a translation project from beginning to end. The combination of these two standards leads to a quality-oriented translation service.

Find a Good Auditor

When pursuing ISO standards, it is important to find a good auditor to work with, either internally or externally. If you choose to work with an internal auditor for the internal audits, they will need to have first-hand experience of the organizational culture and its processes, as well as be flexible to recognize the application of the standard in the organization. 

If you hire an external auditor, you will need to take into account the knowledge of the auditor of the country of operation of your company. One option, worth considering is working with a consulting firm. You should aim to work with a firm that has experience in certifying ISO standards. Ideally, you will work with someone who is flexible and can help you create the QMS according to the standard while keeping the organizational culture in mind. Looking for a firm that has certified other language service providers in your area is a good place to start. 

Whatever path you choose to take, preparing an audit plan with details of every aspect that will be audited is a smart move to make. Having a good communication plan internally to report how the QMS is advancing prior to the audit, as well as information about results post-certification audit, will also be helpful. 

The Impact 

Adopting an ISO certification can make a huge impact internally as it enables you to organize all processes and make proper documentation. Doing so can also affect your team’s mindset when it comes to quality and processes. Clients will benefit from certification as well, as it shows your commitment to continuous improvement. These certifications can also serve as a selling point when engaging with potential clients. 

Adopt the Right Mindset

At the end of the day, pursuing any type of ISO certification is a team effort. Having a detailed communication plan to train your organization in the general knowledge of the standard you are pursuing, the quality management policy, and the impact of the QMS in the daily dynamic of the organization can help your entire team adopt the right mindset and put you on the path towards certification.

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People worldwide naturally prefer consuming information in their own language. Meeting this expectation − and sometimes the legal requirements to do so – fuels an indispensable multi-billion dollar global industry that provides translation, interpreting, and localization.  Based on validated and verified data from a representative sample of 462 LSPs, independent market research firm CSA Research has named Terra as a leading provider of the global delivery of language services, ranking it fourth in the top LSPs in Latin America.

Terra is a boutique language services company with a global reach, specializing in English and Spanish translation. Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and also located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Terra is growing rapidly and boasts both ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certifications.

Dr. Donald A. DePalma, CSA Research’s Chief Research Officer, comments that “most people don’t recognize the value of interpreting or translation until they can’t understand something—and the absence of spoken or written content in their languages happens far too often. Language service providers and technology developers deliver essential translation and interpreting services.”

About Terra

Terra has been at the forefront of the modern work environment since our inception; based mainly in Argentina and the United States, our team is fully virtual. Terra’s global team allows us to better serve our clients by quickly responding to requests regardless of time zones, as well as localizing for the world by leveraging talent from around the world.

Since Terra was first established over 20 years ago as a family-owned business, company leadership has worked diligently to embrace all employees as family. This very specific culture is nurtured by promoting a collaborative and supportive work environment, empowering strong leadership at all levels of the organization, and celebrating company successes.

About CSA Research

The rankings are based on confirmed revenue from 2019—CSA Research found that the market that year for language services and supporting technologies reached US$49.60 billion. CSA Research, formerly Common Sense Advisory, is an independent market research company helping companies profitably grow their global businesses and gain access to new markets and new customers. www.csa-research.com | @CSA_Research | media@csa-research.com

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What Does “Diversity” and “Inclusion” Mean?

While the terms “diversity” and “inclusion” may feel like buzzwords at the moment, these are essential goals that all companies should prioritize on an ongoing basis. In regard to office life, diversity and inclusion refers to having a staff that represents a variety of backgrounds, races, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and lifestyles. While hiring a diverse staff is a good step on the road to inclusion, it’s important that a work environment makes all employees feel welcome, supported, heard, and as if they are receiving fair opportunities for professional growth. Physical or emotional safety being put at risk due to discriminatory behavior should never occur in the workplace under any circumstances. 

Creating a diverse and inclusive work environment is not just the right thing to do morally, it’s also good for business. Having a staff that feels comfortable, appreciated, and safe is undeniably beneficial. Prioritizing these values can attract top talent, bring a valuable mix of perspectives and ideas to the table, and can help improve employee retention rates. And while financial gain should not be the primary motivation behind creating a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, on average, companies that fall within the top quarter for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to see financial returns that surpass industry medians. Companies that hire men and women equally, they’re likely to see a 41% revenue gain.

Creating Policies That Reflect Values

Believing in diversity and inclusion is not enough to deliver real change. Formal policies must be put in place either through human resources, or the diversity and inclusion department, that all employees, including senior management and C-suite executives, must follow. While anti-discrimination policies are nothing new, many companies have their legal team draft them but don’t have a process for properly enforcing them. 

Creating a well-crafted policy that addresses what the company’s values are and a plan for repeatedly making those values known to employees is a good starting point. Ensuring employees that the company is committed to upholding anti-discriminatory standards and that whistleblowers will not be punished is of the utmost importance because without that assurance employees will not feel the company’s anti-discrimination policies will actually be upheld. For example, the Human Rights Campaign reported that nearly half of LGBTQ workers believe that anti-discrimination policies won’t be enforced if they have a supervisor who is personally not supportive of the LGBTQ community.

How to Provide Fair Opportunities

Alongside hiring a diverse staff, prioritizing working with diverse vendors is important too. Working with a diverse set of vendors and company partners can help meet inclusion goals and establish a workplace environment that is welcoming to all. One way to ensure you’re working with diverse vendors is to pursue relationships with partners that have earned professional certifications that highlight their diversity. Certain certifications can signal to companies that they will be working with diverse vendors, which can help them meet their inclusion quotas. For example, as a women-owned and minority-owned business, Terra Translations is proud to be certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC is a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs) and by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC helps advance business opportunities for certified minority business enterprises). 

Every year, we work towards earning certification again to maintain our standing with these organizations and to ensure that we’re creating a diverse and inclusive working environment where every one of our team members feels safe and supported.

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