Hispanic Heritage Month honors people of Spanish-speaking backgrounds in the United States. It begins on September 15 because of its coincidence with Independence Day celebrations on September 15 in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, on September 16 in Mexico, and on September 18 in Chile . From September 15 to October 15, a number of special programs, events and exhibits celebrate the heritage, culture, spirit and extraordinary contributions of Hispanic Americans.

This year’s theme recognizes the strength and hard work of Hispanic Americans and pays tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. Mentioned among them is actress Rita Moreno, singer Celia Cruz, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, activist Cesar Chavez, Nobel prize-winning physicist Dr. Severo Ochoa, U.S. Navy Admiral David G. Farragut, singer Joan Baez and actor Desi Arnaz.

Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority group in the United States, according to the Census Bureau. It is estimated that the Hispanic population will triple, from almost 47 million to 133 million, from 2008 to 2050. This reflects an increase from 15 percent to 30 percent of the population.

Today, more than ever, Hispanic Americans play an integral role in positively influencing and enriching our nation and society. They serve as leaders in government, law, business, science, sports, the arts and many other occupations. The influence of Hispanic culture is reflected in every aspect of American life, from politics to education through music and television.

The Hispanic population is a consumer segment that is growing faster than any other minority group in the United States. Already many businesses are starting to implement new approaches and strategies to target Hispanics.

The assimilation of generations and diverse countries of origin within U.S. Hispanics has created a complex culture. There are many factors that make the Hispanic consumers unique: historical, contextual, cultural, demographic, and financial.

Direct translations and general market strategies tend to miss emotional and culturally relevant elements. This is where translation vs. trancreation comes in.

For example, in the marketing industry the language used in a transcreation should have a similar impact on the target audience. For this reason, marketers cannot simply transfer directly to the Hispanic market an idea, product or a service that works with the general market.

For more information go to Hispanic Market Research Services and Spanish Website Translation

Trusted Translations, the leading producer of Spanish translation services in the U.S., has set the goal of reducing paper consumption by 90% in the next two years. Using the Environmental Working Group’s Ten Elements for Improving Environmental Performance and Compliance, Trusted Translations will implement policies to optimize and maximize the use of electronic means of internal and external communications by employing highly developed content management tools and secure high speed electronic delivery systems.

It is hoped that such policies will improve the corporate culture of Trusted Translations, as well as that of other companies in the industry. Also, by collaborating with NGOs, Trusted Translations aims to help raise environmental awareness amongst the Hispanic population.