Rhodora Sagles
Regional Manager (Canterbury) and Tagalog Interpreter
Achieving ISO 21998:2020 certification for healthcare interpreting services was a huge milestone for Interpreting New Zealand, and it took the dedication of our whole team to get there.
Rhodora Sagles, our Canterbury Regional Manager, shares her perspective on this journey.
"It isn’t just a badge, it’s a promise"
Why this certification matters
“Hitting the highest standard in medical interpreting isn’t just a badge, it’s a promise,” Rhodora says. “It’s a win for communities whose English is a second language and for medical professionals alike: messages delivered accurately, every time, without fail.”
Turning Potential into Practice
Rhodora played a key role in preparing for the audit, helping to collect information, reviewing documents, and tidying up policies and procedures.
“Our organisation already had the potential to be the best, it just needed a tidy-up. We ended up reviewing all the policies and procedures and updated them.
The process was demanding, but transformative.
Huge kudos to our former CE, Peter, for having the vision and taking INZ to the next level. Challenges? Sure, but what seemed impossible became achievable.”
Discovering strengths in our people
Going through the certification process also gave Rhodora insight into the team.
“Comfort is powerful, but progress is transformational. Most of the answers I was looking for were already in our system. That’s a win, it means our foundations are strong. With a few tweaks, we can turn what we already have into an even bigger impact.”
The process also highlighted the calibre of the interpreter community.
“I was genuinely impressed to learn that our interpreters are highly accomplished professionals, many holding double degrees, bringing far more than language skills to the table.”
The impact of certification
“Becoming certified adds value to both INZ and our interpreters. We’re proud to be the first language service provider in the country with this top-tier ISO accreditation.
Leading the sector means giving our communities and medical partners the best interpreters, best standards, and best service. For our team, it’s an honour and a responsibility.”
Rhodora’s story reflects the dedication and collaboration that made our ISO 21998 certification possible. More stories from interpreters and staff about this journey will be coming soon!