Engagement with own workforce and workers’ representatives, channels for expressing concerns or needs and approaches to remedy

Processes for engaging with own workforce and workers’ representatives about impacts (S1-2)

DB Group has structured procedures for the systematic involvement of employees and their representatives in all processes for identifying, assessing and managing the impact of occupational health and safety. The participation mechanisms are based on a multi-level co-determination model with a Group works council at Group level, general works councils at business unit level and works councils at the Group companies and works council voting areas (Wahlbetriebe). As an integral part of the works council, representatives of severely disabled employees are also integrated into these participation mechanisms. This structure ensures that employee feedback on the impact of their activities is both aggregated centrally and addressed decentrally.

The Occupational Health and Safety Committee (Arbeitsschutzausschuss; ASA) is established as a formal participation body at business unit and company level. The ASA involves employer representatives, occupational safety specialists, company doctors and the relevant employee representatives in the decision-making processes. It is responsible for the systematic consultation and monitoring of occupational health and safety measures and the documentation of the resulting need for action.

Employee representatives are involved in key processes at an early stage and in a structured manner in accordance with the relevant co-determination rights, and in particular

• the planning and modification of workplaces,
• the design of work processes and organizational procedures,
• the procurement and introduction of work equipment and hazardous substances,
• the derivation of measures from risk assessments.

This involvement is documented in the respective process standards and forms an integral part of occupational health and safety management.

In addition, DB Group’s ideas management system provides a Group-wide tool that employees can use to submit suggestions for improvements to occupational health and safety. The proposals submitted are examined on the basis of defined evaluation criteria and, in the case of a positive assessment, are incorporated into the continuous improvement of occupational health and safety.

Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for own workforce to raise concerns (S1-3)

Our employees have access to secure and – if desired – anonymous reporting channels through which they can make reports relevant to occupational health and safety.

The main reporting channels are the Group-wide, multilingual and anonymous electronic whistleblower system as well as telephone and written contact options. Reports are processed exclusively by trained employees who are obliged to maintain confidentiality.

For occupational health and safety-related incidents, there are clear technical responsibilities within the central reporting offices with the responsible reporting office for occupational health and safety when it comes to violations of rail operating and occupational safety regulations.

Once a report has been received, it is checked for coherence and plausibility using a structured process. If there are sufficient indications, investigation and remedial measures are initiated.

The results derived from the reports are systematically incorporated into the improvement of the occupational health and safety organization. This includes case-specific corrective measures, structural adjustments to processes and preventive measures to further reduce occupational health and safety risks. In this way, the reporting system forms an integral part of the continuous improvement process in occupational health and safety.