Interests and views of stakeholders (SBM-2)

Integration of key stakeholder perspectives into the strategic orientation

In DB Group, continuous stakeholder engagement is firmly embedded in strategic management and the business model. The aim is to identify expectations, concerns and potential impacts, risks and opportunities at an early stage and systematically incorporate them into strategy, target images and operational decisions. Findings from dialogs are taken into account in planning and decision-making processes, for example, when reviewing targets and deriving portfolios of measures. In the double materiality assessment (DMA), the perspectives of key stakeholder groups were included, for example, indirectly via intra-Group experts. The Group-internal representatives of our stakeholder groups are in regular contact with members of their respective stakeholder group via various channels and dialog formats. For example, stakeholder perspectives were incorporated into the assessment of impacts, risks and opportunities, as well as the further development of sustainability management, risk and op-portunity management and governance processes. This dovetailing strengthens the inclusion of the interests and perspectives of our stakeholders and supports a resilient, future-oriented implementation of our strategy.

For example, the perspectives of our customers are incorporated into the further development of our products and services. Regular customer satisfaction surveys provide concrete indications of needs and potential for improvement along the travel chain. The results are systematically evaluated and translated into product, service and process improvements. In addition, the DB Passenger Advisory Board contributes the views of external passenger representatives in a structured form. Its recommendations are incorporated into the ongoing development of the offering and customer communication. The views of our employees are incorporated into DB Group’s HR strategy via established dialog formats, in particular, the social dialog with works councils and collective bargaining partners, regular employee surveys and topic-specific participation formats. Feedback on working conditions, training, health protection and work-life balance is systematically evaluated and integrated into the further development of HR programs, the recruitment and training strategy and workplace design measures. Future strategic adjustments will continue to take into account the priorities identified by employees in these dialogs. DB Group takes political and regulatory interests seriously, and takes them into account when making decisions on business development. For example, in 2025 the Federal Ministry of Transport (Bundesministerium für Verkehr; BMV), with the “Agenda for Satisfied Rail Customers”, published key points on the reform of DB Group, which DB Group is taking up. The dialog with associations and the specialist public serves, on the one hand, to provide information about the activities of DB Group and, on the other hand, to exchange views on topics of importance to rail transport. Stakeholder comments are taken on board and checked for feasibility as part of the Group’s internal opinion-forming process. The dialog also serves to discuss and sound out common interests and can, on a case-by-case basis, lead to joint action in the political representation of interests. Further information on cooperation with other parties affected by our business activities can be found in the respective topic chapters.

The views and interests of stakeholders are brought to the attention of the Management Board via the relevant specialist departments, and are included in regular reporting to the Supervisory Board. The Management Board members are also themselves an active part of DB Group’s stakeholder engagement. The results of the employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction surveys are part of the targets for the variable remuneration of the Management Board members adopted by the Supervisory Board, and are brought to the attention of the Supervisory Board as part of the target-setting process.

In addition, half of the Supervisory Board is made up of employee representatives who directly represent the interests and views of employees. The other half of the Supervisory Board is selected by the shareholder. Those members who come from Government circles contribute views and interests from politics, among other things.

Stakeholder engagement at a glance

The topics and dialog formats are not presented in any order of priority.

Dialog on sustainability

We engage with our stakeholders on sustainability issues relating to DB Group both bilaterally and as part of networks and dialog formats. We organize our own multi-stakeholder formats, such as the Sustainability Forum. We also carry out structured environmental monitoring and analysis. We use these to systematically record relevant topics and examine their significance for the sustainability management of DB Group. We also answer questions from stakeholders on sustainability issues.

With our environmental brand “Das ist grün.” and more than 150 measures in the five action areas of climate resilience, climate change mitigation, resource conservation, environmental protection and noise mitigation, DB Group makes its ecological commitment visible along the value chain. Further information can be found on DB Group’s sustainability website.

Sustainability Forum

In recent years, DB Group’s Sustainability Forum has established itself as a central platform for decision-makers from various areas to engage in dialog on current sustainability issues. The Sustainability Forum 2025 took place on October 16, 2025 in a hybrid format. The theme of the 2025 event was “Can sustainability be a key economic factor in times of crisis?” The panel included representatives of the DB Management Board, as well as high-ranking representatives from politics, business, science and civil society.

Summit meeting with environmental associations

In order to intensify the dialog with environmental associations, a top-level meeting was held with their chairpersons. On May 14, 2025, the CEO of DB AG met with the environmental associations German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland; BUND), German Nature Conservation Association (Deutscher Naturschutzring; DNR), Greenpeace, German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Naturschutzbund Deutschland; NABU), German Transport and Environmental Association (Verkehrsclub Deutschland; VCD) and World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF). Current topics of DB Group, sustainable mobility, climate change mitigation and climate resilience, as well as other sustainability issues, were discussed.