Group Security
Management approach and targets
Safety is a basic human need. For our customers, safety is an essential criterion when selecting a means of transport. For our employees, safety is a prerequisite for carrying out their work in a responsible and customer-focused manner. Every day, we are responsible for the millions of people and goods that are transported on our infrastructure. Protection against attacks, theft and other criminal offenses along our production processes and travel chains is the top priority of DB Group’s security organization. DB Group’s internal agencies are in constant dialog with the security authorities. Consistently sharing status information between the Group Security function and the Federal police headquarters is a round-the-clock task shared by DB Group and the Federal police in our security center. The operations centers in the regional divisions of DB Security coordinate regional security issues and are the 24/7 point of contact for the business units, non-Group train operating companies and authorities.
In total, about 6,000 Federal police officers and about 4,500 DB security personnel are deployed across Germany. DB Group Security and the Federal police are constantly recruiting new employees and expanding their training capacities. In September 2023, about 100 vocational trainees began their three-year apprenticeship to be safety and security specialists. This means that about 250 young people in DB Group throughout Germany secure young talent in this area. A further increase of up to 500 security personnel is planned in order to meet the obligations arising from the KRITIS umbrella law (Critical Infrastructure Protection Act). The main focus is on building up and training our own personnel resources and scaling back the use of security personnel from contracted companies. The process of filling the positions and qualifying applicants started in the second half of 2023. In addition to vocational training, continuous further education and training are essential prerequisites for a stable security situation. In accordance with statutory requirements, all security personnel employed by DB Group receive a total of 24 hours of training at least four times a year. In 2023, DB Security employees completed up to 50 hours of further training beyond the statutory requirements, depending on their activity. Ongoing training on de-escalation and self-protection is required so that employees are able to act in an empathetic and de-escalating manner in all situations. Content relating to civil and criminal law is taught in the context of fundamental and human rights. Social and intercultural skills are included in the training to ensure that employees interact professionally and empathetically with all people in stations and on trains. The participants alone ensure a diversity of perspectives and cultures: people from more than 50 countries work at DB Security.
The number of crimes committed against DB Group and its customers is below the previous year’s level (about –10%). In view of the renewed increase in passenger numbers following the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, this demonstrates that DB Group’s safety concepts are having a positive effect on both actual and perceived safety.
Security at DB Group
DB Group spends about € 200 million annually on the security of its customers and employees.
The Group-wide Safe Travel program focuses on measures that notably increase security for both employees and customers. Since 2019, DB Long-Distance has gradually expanded the support provided by DB Security on board long-distance trains by commissioning additional services. In particular, additional services were provided for occasions such as soccer fan travel or major events, but increasingly also on busy travel days during regular operation. DB Security employees are currently on duty on long-distance trains both at night and during the day, assisting employees on board the trains, increasing the feeling of safety among passengers and making a major contribution to preventing criminal acts. This enables us to meet the requirements and demands of customers, employees and interest groups.
24/7 threat management
Employees should be able to work without any risks to their health and without emotional strain. Many employees are not always able to find the right point of contact for these issues in their immediate working environment. Since 2021, employees have been able to contact threat management experts around the clock in the event of threats and personal distress. Depending on the situation, activities range from advice and referral to further support services to direct intervention in the work environment or requests for support from authorities. Whether employees receive a threat before, during or after their shift, or if they are experiencing stress in their personal lives, specially trained employees receive their reports and decide how to best support them. In 2023, the threat management team received about 150 approaches from employees (previous year: about 100). As in the previous year, about 50 of these cases required further support, in some cases over a period of several months. The increase in the number of approaches is due to the employees’ growing awareness of the service.