Schutzwerte

Schutzwerte is a German term used in policy, law, ethics, and risk management to denote the set of goods, rights, or interests that must be safeguarded in decision-making and design. The word combines Schutz (protection) and Werte (values), and in many texts it is used synonymously with or alongside the related concept Schutzgut (protected good), emphasizing the normative importance of what is being protected.

In practice, Schutzwerte encompass a range of values depending on the domain. Common examples include human life and physical integrity, health, privacy and data confidentiality, civil liberties and democratic rights, property and economic interests, and environmental or ecological integrity. In environmental, safety, or engineering contexts, these values guide risk assessment, regulatory standards, and the allocation of protective measures.

The concept is often employed at an early stage of planning or risk management to identify which values must be protected and to prioritize protective actions. It supports the balancing of competing interests by making explicit what is at stake and what needs to be safeguarded when trade-offs are considered.

Schutzwerte also intersects with legal and ethical debates about whose values count and how conflicts between values should be resolved. Critics note that the selection and weighting of Schutzwerte can be normative and contestable, requiring transparent criteria and stakeholder involvement.

See also: Schutzgut, risk assessment, safety engineering, data protection, environmental ethics.