The work of the future and diversity

A systematic discussion of innovations and visions of the work of the future is taking place as part of the Group initiative “People. Make. The Future.” The goal is to address important strategic issues in good time, exchange knowledge and test new ideas. To that end, we use the HR trend map to regularly compile an overview of relevant HR future trends, which are discussed at various levels within DB Group to derive measures, projects and initiatives.

Once again in 2024, we organized our digital conference “Week of new work.” The interactive program on the topic of new work in DB Group comprised more than 50 virtual program items.

Under the umbrella of the initiative “People. Make. The Future,” two themed H-FutureLabs are working to find new answers to important questions about the future:

• Lab 1 “Future prospects for occupations in the rail industry” uses a specially developed method to identify future changes in DB occupations and initiate measures to update and qualify employees in good time. The implementation of strategic personnel management enables a holistic view of the future of our DB job profiles.
• Lab X“Perspectives for the future” deals with the medium- and long-term development of HR topics in DB Group in the course of digitalization and other changes such as the S3 restructuring program.

In the context of the constantly changing working environment, the promotion of diversity within DB Group is important. We want to live an appreciative, open and respectful approach to the diversity of our employees and customers. This is aimed at creating a culture of equal opportunities, appreciation and open engagement, trust and respect. We have anchored this conviction in our Strong Rail strategy and as a topic that cuts across many areas in all HR processes. Measures and progress are reviewed regularly. Each Management Board member has assumed responsibility for a diversity dimension. The diversity officers in the business units and HR Group functions are also available to all employees as direct contacts for diversity issues. They regularly work together on overarching goals in the diversity working group and other project teams. Employees with specific diversity concerns are supported by various bodies, such as the Group representative for severely disabled persons or the Social and Cultural Integration project (SUKI). An important participatory element are DB Group’s employee networks, in which employees volunteer and which are supported and promoted by central diversity management.

In 2024, we continued to implement a wide range of measures to create an inclusive working environment for all employees under the banner of “Uniquely Different.” This includes the founding of the new employee network “BIPOC on Track,” where the term BIPOC refers to Black, Indigenous and People of Color and is aimed at making Black and Indigenous identities visible, among other things. One milestone was the early achievement of the target of 30% women in leader­ship. We are convinced that the diversity of leadership qualities is an asset for DB Group. However, gender parity as a long-term goal not only applies to executives. The Management Board has, therefore, set itself the ambition of also increasing the share of women in the overall workforce.

Learning formats and extensive materials on various diversity dimensions are available to employees online. In 2024, they were expanded to include topics such as the Self-Determination Act, including guidelines for implementation and anti-discrimination with an overview of all DB-internal reporting offices. More than 60 of our Group-wide training courses contain learning content that is specifically designed to promote diversity.

Active generation management is intended to break down generation-related stereotypes and support the integration of all generations in DB Group through various formats such as reverse mentoring, senior experts, workshops on intergenerational work and an age diversity recruiting strategy.

The establishment of an inclusive working environment, in which all employees are successfully integrated and optimally equipped regardless of their physical and mental abilities, forms part of our understanding of diversity.

Inclusion management was further developed in 2024: DB Language Management expanded its range of services to include translations into simple and easy language.

DB Group also made progress in the area of gender equality. In 2024, we also took first place in the ranking of the Women’s Career Index (FKi), which is a measurement instrument for the development of successful women’s careers and examines how women at different management levels develop in their careers, how cultural changes progress and how openness to transformation and innovation occurs.

Under the motto “More diversity. More solutions,” the annual Diversity Week focused on the topics of neurodiversity, accessibility and employee networking. This was aimed at further embedding and discussing diversity within DB Group as a topic that cuts across many issues in corporate culture.

30% women in leadership

DB Group has achieved its target of increasing the share of women in leadership positions at the companies subject to the Second Act on Equal Participation of Men and Women in Management Positions (FüPoG II) to 30% by the end of 2024 at the Supervisory Board, Management Board/Executive Board and first and second management levels below the Management Board/Executive Board. The share of women in leadership positions at the companies concerned was 31.5% across all levels in relation to the organizational structure valid as of December 31, 2024 (as of December 31, 2023: 29.4%).

From 2025, a new target of 40% women in leadership positions by December 2035 will apply for the 35 Group companies subject to the FüPoG. In this context, the quarterly reporting to the Management Board is also to be extended to the third and fourth management levels below the Management Board/Executive Board. We have also set ourselves the ambition of increasing the share of women in the overall workforce (FüPoG scope) to 28% by December 31, 2035. External recruitment, attractive working conditions and internal retention and development measures are aimed at increasing the share of women at all levels within DB Group.