CVPWerte

CVPWerte is a concept in business ethics and corporate governance that examines how a company’s value proposition (CVP) aligns with its stated values (Werte). The term combines the English acronym CVP with the German word Werte, signaling a normative emphasis on value creation that corresponds to ethical commitments. The concept is used mainly in management and sustainability discussions to analyze whether strategic claims about customer or stakeholder value are reflected in behavior, policies, and governance.

Concept and components: A typical CVPWerte analysis identifies the company's CVP (what it promises to customers or other stakeholders), the core Werte that guide decisions, and the alignment between the two. Common Werte include transparency, accountability, sustainability, equity, and stakeholder inclusion. The framework supports mapping CVP elements to Werte and assessing gaps with qualitative and quantitative indicators.

Applications: Practitioners use CVPWerte to inform strategy development, risk assessment, and reporting. It is employed in scenario planning, CSR reporting, and stakeholder dialogues to surface inconsistencies and reduce reputational risk.

Limitations: The lack of standardized metrics and the inherently subjective nature of values assessment can limit comparability. Critics warn against superficial compliance or values-washing if CVP promises remain unimplemented in practice.

History: The term appears in contemporary management literature as a heuristic tool rather than a formal standard, with variations in how CVP and Werte are defined across organizations and languages.

See also: Corporate social responsibility, value proposition, business ethics, governance.