Engagement with affected communities, channels to raise concerns or needs and approaches to remedy

Processes for engaging with affected communities about impacts (S3-2)

We maintain a continuous dialog with our stakeholders and affected groups via our networks and dialog formats.

Operational responsibility for involving affected parties in the implementation of our noise reduction target lies with the business units that are responsible for achieving the respective business unit targets. In our construction projects, the affected parties are informed and involved directly as part of planning law procedures, for example in discussion meetings on new construction and expansion projects, at public events on noise remediation projects or as part of an advisory board, as in the highly utilized Middle Rhine Valley. Cooperation with affected communities takes place both directly and with their legitimate representatives or credible proxies. It is regulated in the statutory planning law procedure in accordance with the General Railways Act (Allgemeines Eisenbahngesetz; AEG). Receipt of the final planning decision confirms the effectiveness of the involvement of the affected communities.

Advisory Board for a Quieter Middle Rhine Valley

Another meeting of the Advisory Board for a Quieter Middle Rhine Valley was held on October 2, 2025. In addition to DB Group’s report on the status of the implementation of noise remediation measures from the feasibility studies in the Middle Rhine Valley, the Federal Ministry of Transport (Bundesministerium für Verkehr; BMV) reported on the topic of the 2040 rail traffic forecast. Other current topics included additional noise remediation measures as part of the corridor modernizations of the right-hand Rhine route in 2026 and the left-hand Rhine route in 2028, as well as an exchange on other issues raised by the citizens’ action groups involved. The Advisory Board for a Quieter Middle Rhine Valley is made up of citizens’ action groups, members of parliament from the region and representatives of the BMV, the Federal Railway Authority, the responsible state ministries from Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate and DB Group. It meets annually at various locations in the Middle Rhine Valley.

Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for affected communities to raise concerns (S3-3)

Information on the implementation of actions to reduce our negative impacts can be found under Actions.

Information on channels through which affected communities can raise concerns and how these are tracked can be found under Processes for engaging with affected communities about impacts. Noise concerns can also be reported via our central whistleblower system. Further information can be found under Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for workers in the value chain to raise concerns (S2-3).

Further information on the protection of whistleblowers against discrimination and punishment can be found in the “Business conduct (G1)” chapter under Protection of whistleblowers.

No reports of severe noise-related incidents were received in 2025.