Specific traits set your Pennsylvania business apart from the competition. As a business owner, you know you should take certain actions that will keep you from losing control of what sets you apart. One of the most important steps of this process is using trademarks to protect certain types of proprietary information.
Trade secrets include a variety of important information, including everything from secret recipes to the process you use to make your products. There are laws that allow companies to protect these types of intangible yet valuable assets, helping you keep your competitive advantage. If you have trade secrets and important information that you want to keep where it belongs, you may want to find out what legal steps you’ll have to take to accomplish this.
What can you do?
There are certain things you can do that will allow you to adequately protect your company’s private and important information. One of the most crucial of these is implementing noncompete agreements with your workers and employees as well as including non-disclosure clauses in your employment contracts. Other practical steps you can take to keep your private information where it belongs include:
- Figure out exactly what it is that sets your business apart and which things may need specific protective treatment. This may mean a secret recipe, a client list and other things.
- Label items well and store them properly. By limiting access to certain information, you will lower the chance of it getting somewhere it doesn’t belong.
- Train your employees to handle sensitive information in the right way. You may also consider ways to limit how many employees need to know certain facts you would rather keep secret.
With the right steps, you can keep your proprietary information in the right place – at your company. If you do not have employment contracts or are unsure of what legal steps may be necessary, it could be helpful to consider how you can increase security and lower the risk of complications.
If you had an employee mistreat your private information or you think another party has somehow gained access to your trade secrets, you may want to speak with an attorney about how you can take action. The long-term interests of your company are worth protecting, and you can start this process by taking an inventory of what you may need to do to keep your competitive edge.
