Regulations within DB Group

To ensure coordinated and targeted action within DB Group, generally applicable guidelines are necessary for all employees. One format used for this purpose are guidelines, which predominantly contain target rules and which prescribe binding framework requirements for a defined scope. The Management Board sets out the inner ambition, Group principles and Group guidelines as a basis for the additional regulations.

Inner ambition, Group principles and Group guidelines

Group guidelines contain the key provisions for Group-wide leadership and management topics. They are decided by the Management Board and are part of the Group management handbook. The Group management handbook includes the inner ambition, four Group principles (strategy, management, strong teamwork and ethics/Code of Conduct) and ten Group guidelines (organization, HR management, finance, marketing, communications, information technology and telecommunications, procurement, competition and regulation, risk minimization and the Integrated Rail System in Germany) as well as the basic structure of DB Group and the process map. In the Group Principles on Ethics, for example, it is noted that DB Group complies with internationally recognized human rights and basic freedoms as part of its business operations in accordance with the principles set out in the UN Global Compact. The Group guideline on risk minimization stipulates that DB Group is committed to acting in accordance with the rules, in particular with regard to ethical standards (principles and values), human rights, corporate governance, competitive behavior, integrity, data protection and data security, as well as environmental protection, and for consistent prevention, investigation and sanctioning of corruption, antitrust and export control violations, and white-collar crime.

The Group management handbook is updated twice a year and is coordinated by the Group organization. The Group management handbook is published in the Group regulations database and communicated via so-called business notices, the internal DB management portal for Group-wide regulations on organizational structure and processes, and the intranet.

Framework guidelines

The Group guidelines are supported by framework guidelines. These are guidelines issued by Group management that apply for several business units or service entities. Individual guidelines detail the rules on topics such as donations, environmental management, occupational health and safety or data protection. When framework guidelines are introduced, updated or suspended, the framework guideline coordinators for all relevant business units or service entities are involved.