Collective agreements

Germany (companies with about 98% of domestic employees).
Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).
¹⁾ The figures for employees on individual contracts primarily include executives, employees paid above the collective bargaining agreement level (known as non-tariff employees), and employees with individual contractual agreements.

In addition to country-specific legislation, the working conditions and wages for our employees primarily follow the collective bargaining agreements that have been concluded with the respectively responsible trade unions.

• In principle, the collective bargaining agreements apply to employees in Germany.
• The activities of civil servants in DB Group are based on a statutory allocation under Article 2, Section 12 Rail Restructuring Act (Eisenbahnneuordnungsgesetz; ENeuOG). The same collective bargaining agreement provisions within DB Group, therefore, apply on this basis to civil servants, insofar as the legal regulations governing civil servants do not conflict with this.
• The employment conditions of employees not subject to wage agreements and executives in DB Group are generally not determined by collective bargaining agreements. Nevertheless, the remuneration of the great majority of employees not subject to collective bargaining agreements is based on the highest wage under collective bargaining agreements.
• In addition, DB Group ensures that the employment conditions of employees, both subject to and not subject to wage agreements, as well as executives, are compatible with one another with respect to personnel policy.

The collective bargaining agreements, employer/works council agreements and other DB Group regulations on employment conditions are generally gender-neutral. Job evaluations and remuneration levels are based exclusively on the requirements of the respective activity.

Germany (companies with about 98% of domestic employees). 
Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

The share of employees subject to collective bargaining agreements remains virtually unchanged at a very high level.

Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

DB Group offers various part-time models to improve the work-life balance.

Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

The share of employees with permanent employment contracts remained very high at about 95% (in Germany: about 94%).

Germany (companies with about 93% of domestic employees). Since parental leave can last up to three years, it is possible for employees to be recorded for up to four financial years. This means that the number of employees who returned from parental leave may exceed the number of employees who took parental leave.
¹⁾ Employees who have returned after parental leave in relation to employees who have taken parental leave.
²⁾ Employees who were still employed 12 months after their return from parental leave in relation to employees who returned to work in previous reporting periods after parental leave.

The distribution of parental leave taken by men and women also reflects the gender distribution in DB Group in Germany. The return and retention rate of our employees is very high, which also reflects our attractiveness as an employer and our efforts to retain employees.

DB Group makes numerous offers related to parental leave to provide support and show our appreciation to parents. During their parental leave, employees can remain in personal contact with their team by retaining their mobile devices or via a parental leave buddy. When the child is born, the executive has the opportunity to send an appreciation package to the parents at home. In cooperation with the BSW&EWH Foundation Family, members are also sent a baby welcome package and offered a parents’ network for exchange and networking purposes.

After parental leave, working parents are offered free support in conjunction with the family service provider awo lifebalance, for example when searching for a day-care place. In addition, the Bahnbini day-care center in Frankfurt am Main offers qualified childcare for up to 90 employees’ children. The day-care center is operated by the BSW&EWH Foundation Family, and the provider is Kita Concept Trägerschaften gGmbH.

In the event of short-term and unforeseeable childcare bottlenecks, DB Group offers a parent-child room at some locations.

Germany (companies with about 99% of domestic employees).
External temporary agency workers are not counted as DB Group employees.
Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

In the case of particular bottlenecks, we work with external temporary employment agencies to bridge short-term or temporary personnel shortfalls in addition to the use of temporary workers belonging to DB Zeitarbeit GmbH (DB Temporary Work). External temporary agency workers are not counted as DB Group employees because they are employed by the respective temporary employment agency. The share of external temporary agency workers remains almost at the same level as at the end of the previous year.

Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

Executives and employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements

The variable remuneration of senior executives, employees covered by collective bargaining agreements and employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements (non-tariff employees) is aligned with the Strong Rail targets. The basis for measuring the short-term variable remuneration (short-term incentive; STI) is made up of a set of financial and non-financial key performance indicators such as EBIT, customer satisfaction, punctuality, employee satisfaction, women in leadership, the share of renewable energies in the DB traction current mix and – depending on the contract level – personal performance. Some contract levels in the executive area receive long-term variable remuneration based on a set of key figures consisting of transport policy and economic targets.

• Executives and employees not subject to collective bargaining agreements are able to take a sabbatical to improve work-life balance. We also support the provision of part-time executive employment, job sharing and interim management.
• The “Special semi-retirement for executives at DB Group” is designed to reduce the individual workload of older executives and at the same time maintain their employability until the statutory retirement age.
• By way of the elective working hours model, executives can decide whether they prefer six days of additional vacation per year or an increased salary equivalent. Non-­tariff employees can decide whether they want to reduce their working hours by one hour per week or prefer an additional six days’ vacation per year or an increased wage.
• Employer-financed contributions to the company pension plan are used to ensure post-employment benefits for executives and employees not subject to collective bargaining agreements.
• The BahnCard 100 and the mobility budget (via the Bonvoyo app) offer executives and non-tariff employees an ecological alternative to the company car.

Occupational health and safety management

At DB Group, occupational health and safety aspects are not set up centrally, but are integrated in the business activities and taken into account within the management systems of the DB companies.

The binding standards in the framework directive for occupational health and safety are defined in the Group directive Risk minimization. The medical and psychological suitability framework directive defines rules for determining medical and psychological suitability. The aim is to be able to deploy applicants and employees in accordance with the health requirements of their activities and thus ensure the safety of rail and bus operations as well as third parties. The occupational health and safety manual complies with government and autonomous occupational health and safety regulations and contains a summary of the framework directives, appendices and forms for health and safety in the workplace for all employees in DB Group in Germany. Manual components cover, among other things, occupational health and safety in DB Group, utilization of external companies, deployment abroad, biomaterials, activities involving hazardous materials, work in the track area, personal protective equipment, procedure in the case of work accidents and commuting accidents, as well as work on or near electrical systems.

Our occupational health and safety policy is designed to continually decrease the number and severity of accidents.

The framework directives on occupational health and safety flesh out the key company obligations that are specified in accordance with Sections 1 –13 of the German Occupational Health and Safety Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz; ArbSchG). For example, the “Occupational health and safety in DB Group” framework directive specifies that each DB company is required to design a management system including setting up an occupational health and safety committee (Arbeitsschutzausschuss; ASA). The quarterly occupational health and safety committee considers the interests of employees via the participating stakeholder group representatives, among other things, and communicates measures regarding health and safety in the workplace.

On the other hand, the “Risk assessment” framework directive states that a risk assessment must be carried out and documented, using the SAP Environment, Health and Safety Management (SAP EHS) IT application in order to ensure the health and safety of employees. The documented risk assessment must be checked regularly and as necessary (e.g. in case of changes to workflows). The previous measures are defined or updated in accordance with a predefined procedure for determining and assessing risks. Relevant findings from the risk assessment are disclosed to employees as part of the instruction. DB Group makes electronic learning modules available to its employees for training purposes. General measures for health and safety in the workplace are provided, which can be explained further in a personal meeting with the executive.

Furthermore, the Ordinance on Preventive Occupational Healthcare is implemented in a framework directive, which serves as a basis for the advisory activities of our occupational medical services. The tasks of our occupational medical services are based on legal requirements (e.g. Occupational Health and Safety Act) and internal framework directives. This ensures a focus on prevention (work-related illnesses and accidents), health promotion and reintegration. Regular training sessions, digital appointments and results reporting via SAP EHS, as well as the specific professional requirements for the medical personnel of occupational medical services are aimed at a consistently high quality of service.

Use of third-party companies and external temporary workers (including the instruction of external persons by the external company, the provider or hirer of external temporary workers) is dealt with by the framework directive “Occupational health and safety when using external companies and temporary workers.” DB Group supports contracted external companies in accordance with the framework directive in the risk assessment with regard to company-specific hazards in the rail sector. For particularly hazardous activities in the rail sector, such as infrastructure work in the track area, a supervising person/coordinator is appointed in consultation with the external company to ensure that the specified protective measures are implemented. As part of our responsibility as the client, we also implement organizational arrangements as part of the tender award review with regard to suitability and capability, compliance with employer obligations, local briefing and instructions, and monitoring of safety measures. ­Irrespective of the preventive measures adopted by DB Group, the respective employers of employees are responsible for protecting their own employees, reporting occupational ­accidents and reporting the occurrence of occupational accidents in accordance with national and autonomous occupational health and safety regulations.

Irrespective of the clearly defined obligations of external companies in occupational health and safety, every serious and fatal occupational accident involving contractors is also investigated by our occupational health and safety organization. The corresponding requirements are set out in internal processes.

Regular testing of electrical systems and production equipment is ensured by the “Work on or near electrical systems and production equipment” framework directives.

In addition, measures to improve the quality of preventive occupational health and safety for DB Group in Germany in the spirit of Zero Accident were further developed in the quarterly occupational health and safety working group, for example the further development of the DB learning port­folio in occupational health and safety with new electronic learning courses. In 2024, more than 75,000 employees used electronic learning courses to supplement face-to-face training. More than 600 executives have completed the new electronic learning course on performing and monitoring employer duties. In total, more than 272,000 occupational health and safety courses were completed. In addition to the occupational health and safety departments of the DB companies, members of the Group Works Council also take part in the working group in order to contribute to Group-wide occupational health and safety measures.

With the joint occupational health and safety strategy Zero Accident, DB Group in Germany is pursuing the strategic objective of “no accidents at work or work-related illnesses.” The top priority is to avoid fatal and serious occupational accidents and occupational illnesses. If a fatal or serious occupational accident nevertheless occurs, we cooperate closely with the competent authorities and develop measures to prevent similar causes of accidents in future. We are represented in the Zero Accident Forum of the Occupational Health and Safety Institute of the German Statutory Accident Insurance (Institut für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung; IFA). The forum is a network of companies learning from each other so that they can reduce the number of occupational accidents, including commuting accidents, to zero.

Germany (companies with about 98% of domestic employees).

The sickness rate in 2024 was roughly at the previous year’s level.

¹⁾ Worldwide (companies with about 98% of employees).
²⁾ Germany (companies with about 97% of domestic employees).
³⁾ Lost time injury frequency = LTIF(occupational accidents that cause the employee to be absent for longer than one calendar day) 1,000,000/working hours. 
⁴⁾ Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

Compliance with internal standards and national laws serve to protect employees. Safe work and healthy employees make an important contribution here. Digital events and active communication measures on the topic of occupational health and safety were implemented to achieve the goal of raising awareness about safety and personal responsibility. We are continuously working to optimize safety. With lost time injury frequency (LTIF), we have established an indicator to aid us in further reducing the frequency of accidents. Most of the LTIF data is provided via the SAPEHSIT platform, which links the company medical service with occupational health and safety, accident management and hazardous substance management. In accordance with statutory provisions in Germany, occupational accidents are reported and made available to the statutory accident insurance company within three calendar days of the accident becoming known. The relevant statutory accident insurance provider is responsible for determining the damage and regulating the costs of the accident. Statistically, only fatal occupational accidents and not serious ones are reported or recorded. Near misses can be reported anonymously via the Accident-Online IT application.

In 2024, there were no occupational fatal accidents involving employees in DB Group (previous year: DB Cargo, DB Security and DB InfraGO (Track business area)). When fatal occupational accidents occur, they are systematically investigated within DB Group in the affected business units and potential process-related improvements and other measures are identified and implemented.

The calculation of the LTIF includes 65 DB companies in ­Germany. A closer look at the LTIF reveals a differentiated picture, also in an international comparison, as all areas of activity within DB Group are included in the calculation. Our goal within the scope of our occupational health and safety policy is to continually and sustainably reduce the LTIF. Our zero accident measures contribute to this. We involve the DB companies in the occupational health and safety working group and thereby aim to promote a comprehensive safety culture to ensure the safety of our employees. The LTIF in Germany is at the previous year’s level with a declining trend.

With our strategy to improve the quality of preventive occupational health and safety, we have also, in particular, driven forward the digital and technological transformation of DB Group in 2024.

We are also working continuously to place greater emphasis on the responsibility and role model function of executives and to increase employee participation in a value-adding safety culture in terms of behavioral prevention. We, therefore, want to continually develop further learning opportunities for employees and executives within the occupational health and safety strategy for DB Group in Germany.

Measures against discrimination

To counteract discrimination, we offer the opportunity to submit tip-offs anonymously by using our complaints procedure. Reports can be submitted via our electronic whistle-blower system, for example.

We do not tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination against anybody, in particular due to national, ethnic or social origin, skin color, health status, disability, sexual orientation, gender, age, political opinion, religion or belief or membership of a trade union. This prohibition on discrimination also applies to remuneration.

We are committed to a working environment that is free from discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment. Every incident is dealt with specifically and individually to ensure the correct course of action and to support those affected in a trusting manner. In addition to the regulations in the Group employer/works council agreements (Konzernbetriebsvereinbarungen; KBV), such as the KBV on equal treatment and protection against discrimination, the KBV on inclusion and the framework KBV for balancing work, family and biography, as well as the directives on the General Act on Equal Treatment, company integration management and the compliance directives, all employees have access to competent support in clarifying and dealing with cases of conflict from the Group’s internal ombudsman’s office. The focus in all this is on non-bureaucratic and independent extrajudicial settlement of conflicts. The ombudsman’s office coordinates the Group’s internal pool of mediators in accordance with the provisions of the KBV Mediation. DB Group’s MUT hotline in Germany is an external advice center that offers our employees and their families support with personal, health, social and professional issues. In addition, the topics of avoiding unconscious bias and dealing with discrimination are anchored in the training offered by DB Academy.

A guide to online communication, the “Guide to Respectful Communication on the Net,” is designed to prevent cyberbullying.

Inclusion and reintegration measures

DB Group relies on comprehensive operational integration management (Betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement; BEM), which is based on legal principles and has been expanded by a Group-wide framework guideline. Preventive integration management is supported digitally, which simplifies and standardizes processes. The BEM for integration and the procedure for temporary unsuitability regulate the continued employment of employees with permanent or temporary performance restrictions.

Inclusion is a key concern for us. Our principles for the successful inclusion of employees with disabilities are anchored in the KBV on inclusion. The Rail Action Plan contains concrete measures to promote inclusion and thus implements the objectives of the National Action Plan and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Together with the Group representative for severely disabled employees, we are rewarding and recognizing special inclusion measures with the DB Inclusion Award “Flagship,” thereby promoting the visibility of successful inclusion within DB Group. By way of an internal training program for inclusion officers, we want to create a uniform understanding of this role and a standardized transfer of knowledge about this role and the associated tasks. The steady progress achieved in the area of inclusion is characterized by strong cooperation between employer, representatives of severely disabled employees and external partners. The Coordination Office for Subsidies, Pensions and Equalization Levy also provides internal support when applying for subsidies.