10 things a company can do to protect its trade
secrets
1. Identify the specific information which constitutes a "trade secret".
2. Restrict access to that information within your organization by: locking it up, requiring access codes, and limiting the number of employees with access.
3. Be sure to mark documents containing trade secrets as
"confidential".
4. Classify what information you consider confidential in employee manuals.
5. Screen speeches, news releases, articles or other information being disseminated by your company or its agents to ensure that marketing or business plans are not inadvertently being disclosed.
6. Insist upon the return of all company documents, equipment and property upon termination of employment.
7. Make random security checks of employee computer terminals.
8. Educate employees about the importance of trade secret protection and the risks involved with violating secrecy procedures.
9. Deal cautiously with third parties who out of necessity the
corporation must disclose or share some of its trade secrets.
10. Formulate procedures to handle unsolicited third party submissions of suggestions, inventions and ideas, to avoid claims that information was stolen or that a confidentiality obligation was breached.
