Create an inventory of trade secrets
Not all confidential information has the same value. Source code, pricing formulas, customer lists, bid strategies and product roadmaps should be placed in distinct risk categories. Clearly identify the information owner, authorized team, storage location and sharing conditions.
This inventory helps demonstrate in a dispute that the company took reasonable measures to protect its information. A 'confidential' stamp alone is not enough; internal conduct must support the claim.
Legal protection has several layers
The unfair competition provisions of the Turkish Commercial Code and the Turkish Criminal Code provisions on disclosure of trade secrets provide important legal foundations. Confidentiality, intellectual property, return-of-materials and permitted-use clauses in employee, shareholder and supplier agreements make that protection concrete.
Non-compete and contractual penalty clauses should be proportionate and enforceable. An excessively broad restriction may look powerful yet fail to deliver the expected result in a dispute.
Contracts need operational security
Role-based access, multi-factor authentication, download limits, access logs and regular permission reviews form the technical backbone of trade-secret management. Files containing personal data require a separate assessment under Turkey's personal data protection rules.
Use a checklist to revoke access, recover devices and return confidential documents when an employee leaves. The best protection starts when information is created, not after an incident.