In the age of globalization, knowledge and know-how are the trump cards of the Siemens integrated technology company. The protection, utilization, and expansion of the company’s intellectual property is vital to its success. Siemens holds almost 58,000 patents. Managing these patents and protecting them from competitors is one of the tasks of Corporate Intellectual Property and Functions (CT IP). CT IP employs nearly 500 people around the world. These professionals support Siemens researchers and developers when it comes to applying for patents, defending their claims, and exploiting their patent rights. About 31 percent of Siemens’ patents – 18,200 in business year 2010 – are so-called “green patents,” which protect sustainable technologies in the Siemens Environmental Portfolio. The innovations in Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio already account for more than one third of its total sales, amounting to approximately €28 billion in business year 2010.