An NDA is a legal document or part of a contract between two different parties by which the parties agree not to reveal certain private and confidential information. This is to protect said information, which may or may not relate to valuable data, and control access to it to ensure it retains its value and efficacy.

NDAs are a common feature of business activity and are usually used to help ensure that valuable information doesn’t end up in the hands of competitors or other parties. Sometimes NDAs may apply to a single party only, usually an employee who is joining a new company, so it’s worth bearing this in mind during the recruitment process.