The duty of confidentiality is required of employees in various professions today and is either stipulated in the employment contract or, as in the case of priests or doctors and lawyers, even expressly regulated in employment law and via their code of ethics. In a narrower sense, the duty of confidentiality or duty of secrecy means that you as an employee may not pass on any or certain knowledge or secrets relating to your work activities to third parties. This applies in particular to personal data of patients or customers, but also to business transactions that may affect the interests of your employer, such as the supplier and customer base, protected production processes, etc.