Identity modernization at Bayer 04 Leverkusen | SITS

Initial Situation & Client Profile

How do you transform identity and authorization processes in a way that enables a traditional Bundesliga club to work efficiently, securely and scalably in sporting and business operations?

In addition to professional soccer, Bundesliga club Bayer 04 Leverkusen operates a large number of organizational, administrative and operational processes involving hundreds of user accounts – from employees and coaching teams to temporary staff on match days.
As complexity grew, the existing identity processes became an increasing burden: manual processes, email-controlled approvals and a classic VPN led to high costs and security risks.
Our success story shows how Bayer 04 established a modern, automated and zero-trust-oriented access landscape together with SITS and Microsoft.

Client: Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH

Industry: Professional sports, event operations & club organization

Our Services: Consulting, architecture & IAM implementation, automation of joiner/mover/leaver processes, governance optimization, introduction of identity-based access, implementation of the Microsoft Entra Suite

Project by the Numbers
A project with strategic impact:
1
fully automated Identity & Access model
100
%
automated joiner/mover/leaver processes
3
central modernization areas
30210
spectators on average per home match

The Challenge

Rethinking identity - secure, fast and relieving.
Before working with SITS, Bayer 04 relied on completely manual identity and authorization processes. HR and IT mainly exchanged information by email, roles were maintained manually, and a classic VPN granted very broad network access. As the number of accounts steadily increased, especially around match days, the workload, risk of errors and security requirements grew in equal measure.

The main question: How can we make the transition from manual, fragmented processes to automated, secure and consistent identity management that works for every department and remains scalable in the long term?

Solution Approach & Strategy

 
 
 
 
1
2
3
4
 
Identity analysis & role understanding
Analysis of all existing identity flows, role models and manual approval paths
 
Automated JML processes
Implementation of an end-to-end automation model for joiner/mover/leaver processes, linked to the leading HR system
 
Strengthen governance & transparency
Introduction of structured governance processes such as Entitlement Management, Access Reviews and PIM for increased transparency and security standards
 
Establish Zero-Trust access
Replacement of the traditional VPN with modern, identity-based access at application level – compliant with Zero Trust principles and supported by the Microsoft Entra Suite

Implementation

From manual processes to a modern identity ecosystem.
Together with SITS and in direct cooperation with Microsoft, Bayer 04 established a fully automated identity and access landscape.

Using lifecycle workflows from the Microsoft Entra Suite, all changes in the HR system were transferred directly and securely to the IT systems, without any manual intermediate steps. This not only significantly reduced the burden on IT, but also increased data quality and response speed.
At the same time, uniform approval and recertification processes were introduced. Responsibilities in HR, IT and among application managers were clearly defined and transferred to automated processes.

One milestone was the switch from broad network access to application-specific access control, supported by conditional access, security attributes and central guidelines. This has reduced risks and significantly improved the work processes of all employees, from matchday assistants to administrators.

``It’s a completely different pressure on matchday – everything has to work. When SITS presented the Entra Suite to us, it really clicked for me during the PoC.``

-Stefan Aufderbeck, IT Platforms and Infrastructure, Bayer 04 Leverkusen

The Result

Agility, security and transparency at a new level:
The new identity and authorization model has been successfully introduced – with a measurable effect. Joiner/mover/leaver processes now run automatically, approvals are traceable and unnecessary privileges are a thing of the past.

The switch to identity-based access increases both security and the user experience. The burden on IT is sustainably reduced, while the organization as a whole becomes more resilient and future-proof.

Today, Bayer 04 benefits from an automated, clearly structured access strategy based on zero-trust principles and a strong partnership with SITS and Microsoft.

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