DB Group implements measures to prevent, mitigate and cushion significant financial risks in connection with industrial action (e.g. strikes). The measures relate to the affected regions and the affected business units in Germany, particularly where strikes could lead to significant business interruptions. They run before and during specific strike announcements.

Structured collective bargaining and proactive stakeholder dialog

In 2025, DB Group conducted structured collective bargaining to avoid industrial action and reach mutually acceptable solutions. On February 16, 2025, a new collective bargaining agreement was concluded with the EVG . Among other things, it includes pay increases in several stages totaling 6.5 % (pay scale increases of 2.0 % from July 2025 and 2.5 % from July 2026 as well as 2.0 % collectively agreed additional pay as an annual one-off payment from December 2027) and a one-off payment of € 200 in April 2025. In addition, from December 2026, collectively agreed additional pay of 2.6 % will be paid to employees in shift work as an annual one-off payment (if specific requirements are met, such as at least five years of service, with the option of partial conversion into two days off from 2027). The collective bargaining agreement has a term of 33 months (to December 2027). Job security has been agreed for the duration of the collective bargaining agreement.

At the end of February 2026, DB Group also concluded a new collective bargaining agreement with the GDL.

In addition, a close dialog with the trade unions and the Group works council was maintained by the Employment Conditions and Social Policy department and the Mobility and Transport Services Association (Arbeitgeber- und Wirtschaftsverband der Mobilitäts- und Verkehrsdienstleister; AGV MOVE). The dialog is intended to help avoid escalation, strengthen social dialog and ensure operational stability during the negotiation process.

Securing rail operations

In recent years, DB Group has taken various precautions to safeguard rail operations in the event of industrial action. These included attempts to conclude emergency service agreements with trade unions, legal reviews of the right to strike and coordination with the Group companies concerned. By involving relevant parties at an early stage, the aim is to strengthen operational stability and reduce the risk of business interruptions.

In connection with the collective bargaining negotiations, continuous internal and external communication was carried out in 2025 addressing employees, trade unions, the public and other stakeholders. The aim was to create transparency, maintain trust and limit reputational risks. Clear and timely communication is intended to reduce misunderstandings, create acceptance and minimize the impact of potential escalations on the Group’s image.

Measuring the effectiveness of collective bargaining actions

DB Group regularly reviews the effectiveness of the measures, in particular on the basis of the results of negotiation rounds, the frequency and intensity of industrial action and the impact on rail operations. The aim is to continuously develop the working conditions of employees through constructive and regular dialog with the collective bargaining partners and to manage and thus minimize the main risks to operations and business results.

The continuous development of skills has a positive impact for DB Group employees. We take targeted action to develop the skills and qualifications of our employees. In addition to the positive impact on their satisfaction, this can also ensure employability, reduce skills shortages and strengthen DB Group’s attractiveness as an employer.

Unless otherwise described, the actions apply to all employees in Germany and relate to all functional areas. They are designed for continuous implementation. Existing educational offers are available on an ongoing basis.

DB Academy

As a strategic partner for management training and development, the DB Academy specifically strengthened top management 2025 in its role as a driver of transformation through a binding management program. It supported and strengthened the about 11,600 executives of DB Group in strategic realignment, cultural change and complex change processes. As a Group-wide learning, dialog and networking platform, it is intended to promote strategic leadership skills, strengthen collective effectiveness and increase executives’ identification with DB Group.

DB Training

DB Training is the central training and consultancy provider in DB Group and the operator of a central learning platform, the Learning Station. In 2025, comprehensive qualifications were implemented in the areas of rail operations, infrastructure, driving activities, vehicle technology and business skills. The offer is aimed at all employees, from vocational training to specialist and interdisciplinary qualifications through to subsidized further training. In 2025, DB Training offered more than 3,500 seminars and training courses in the form of classroom training, digital learning solutions or an efficient combination of both. In doing so, we aim to ensure the continuous safeguarding of specialist and future skills.

DB Campus

In 2025, the organizational establishment of the DB Campus Erfurt as a meeting place for dialog events and for imparting knowledge about the rail system for all employees was driven forward. Full commissioning is planned for 2029. The measure is intended to strengthen personal development as well as identification with and loyalty to DB Group in the long term.

Learning Station digital learning platform

The Learning Station, a digital and mobile learning platform, was introduced in 2025 to provide access to internal and external educational opportunities. It has laid the foundations for customized, social and self-determined learning. Lifelong learning is systematically supported with individual learning recommendations. The Learning Station is intended to increase the range, flexibility and sustainability of training courses.

Development of skills-based competence management

In 2025, the database for skills-based competence management was created with the DB-specific skills catalog. In addition, the “MySkills” module was configured as the first use case in the Learning Station. Employees can use the module to create their own skills profiles and receive tailored learning recommendations on this basis. This is intended to provide them with orientation for their personal development. The aim of this action is to support targeted qualification and increase the efficiency of training measures.

Regular performance reviews

To improve individual performance, the tools of “My Performance Management” (MPM) are aimed at both professional and personal development. Regular, guideline-based feedback from different perspectives is intended to promote targeted reflection on work behavior. The regular review of targets with a focus on performance and development is also intended to highlight strengths and areas for development for individuals and teams. The new performance review cycle that has been in place since 2024 provides employees with clear guidance on performance development. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements receive a performance review from their respective executive at least every 24 months, while executives receive a performance review once a year. Further information can be found under Metricsµ

Measuring the effectiveness of training and skills development actions

The effectiveness of the actions described is tracked by means of multi-stage monitoring:

• Stage 1: Employee survey (Mitarbeitendenbefragung; MAB) every two years with the “Further development” index derived on this basis.
• Stage 2: Evaluations at DB Training and DB Academy using participant surveys and the Net Promoter Score (NPS) calculated on the basis of the willingness to recommend the training.
• Stage 3: Qualitative feedback on training courses.
• Step 4: Group-wide exit and transfer surveys.

While the MAB provides aggregated trends for further development, the NPS and feedback enable the immediate evaluation of format-related measures. These indicators are used to track whether measures and offers for training and skills development are securing employability, closing skills gaps and strengthening employer attractiveness.

Ensuring appropriate and attractive salaries is a key objective of DB Group’s remuneration policy in order to guarantee the social security of employees and the Group’s attractiveness as an employer.

In addition to country-specific legislation, the working conditions and wages for our employees primarily follow the collective bargaining agreements that have been concluded with the respectively responsible trade unions. The employment conditions of non-tariff employees and executives at DB Group are generally not determined by collective bargaining agreements. Nevertheless, the remuneration of the great majority of non-tariff employees is based on the highest wage under collective bargaining agreements. In addition, DB Group ensures that the employment conditions of employees both subject to and not subject to collective bargaining agreements as well as executives are compatible with one another with respect to personnel policy. The collective bargaining agreements, employer/works council agreements and other DB Group regulations on employment conditions are generally gender-neutral. Job evaluations and remuneration levels are based exclusively on the requirements of the respective activity.

Statutory minimum wages are in place in all countries in the European Economic Area. The actions to ensure appropriate remuneration apply to employees in Germany. The lowest remuneration groups of the respective collective bargaining agreements reflect at least the applicable minimum wage. Collective wage regulations with their respective pay grading principles are permanently established and are also reviewed in operational co-determination. Regular adjustments are made in collective bargaining with the trade unions. DB Group consistently ensures adequate remuneration by paying the agreed wages in collective bargaining agreements and works agreements. Monitoring also ensures that remuneration is always in line with collective bargaining agreements and the law.

Ensuring minimum wages, transparency and non-discrimination

About 94 % of DB Group employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, which help to ensure that remuneration is above the statutory minimum wage. The remaining employees are mainly non-tariff employees and executives with remuneration levels above the collectively agreed remuneration level. There are fixed minimum remuneration amounts in all collectively agreed remuneration groups. These are at least above the statutory minimum wage and ensure uniform standards within DB Group. Pay grading takes place in accordance with job evaluation procedures that are independent of the individual and defined in collective bargaining agreements or in accordance with standard analytical procedures for non-tariff employees and executives. The evaluation always focuses on the job or position. This ensures that activities are remunerated in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner. Collective bargaining agreements are regularly developed further in collective negotiations with trade unions and adapted to the economic conditions. The remuneration of non-tariff employees is regulated in collective agreements.

The definition of suitable measures to ensure adequate remuneration is based on the continuous monitoring of information on the development of wages and minimum wages, for example in publications by associations or external remuneration benchmarks. Collective bargaining and economic developments are examined both internally and externally prior to collective bargaining taking place. For non-tariff employees, a comparison is made with market data to ensure the competitiveness and appropriateness of remuneration. In addition, employees’ personal perceptions of their remuneration are regularly surveyed as part of employee surveys and taken into account when deriving measures.

Measuring the effectiveness of actions on adequate wages

Effectiveness is examined using various methods:

• Collective bargaining and market benchmarks by the Employment Conditions and Social Policy department and the AGV MOVE.
• Internal job evaluation procedures and their review and further development.
• Employee surveys (“Remuneration” section, culture barometer).

These indicators serve as a basis for assessing whether remuneration in DB Group is appropriate. The analyses confirm that wages are above the statutory minimum wage and that coverage by collective bargaining agreements is almost complete.

In 2025, no cases were identified in which wages below the statutory or collectively agreed standards were paid. Negative impacts were cushioned through the continuous development of collective bargaining agreements. Remedial measures were therefore not necessary.

Work-life balance is a key factor in employee motivation, retention and health. We are continuously expanding our flexibilization options and support offerings and anchoring them sustainably within DB Group. They apply to employees in Germany and are aimed in particular at employees with family commitments. They are implemented on a permanent basis and are continuously enhanced.

Support for parental leave and care

DB Group supports employees by providing comprehensive regulations and information on parental leave and time off for caring responsibilities. This includes measures such as documentation forms and checklists for the time before, during and after parental leave, which make it easier to reconcile family commitments with work.

Work-life balance programs

Group-wide work-life balance programs are in place, including advice and support services for parents and measures to create family-friendly working conditions. Together with the DBplus partners, including in particular the Bahn-Sozialwerk/Eisenbahn-Waisenhort (BSW&EWH) Foundation Family, DB Group offers supplementary services, for example advice on childcare and nursing care as well as support in the event of short-term care bottlenecks. These help to reduce the workload on employees.

Mobile working options

The employer/works council agreements on mobile working allow employees to adapt their place of work and working hours to their individual needs. This improves their work-life balance and increases employer attractiveness.

Continuous evaluation processes are in place to determine necessary measures, including employee surveys and scientific network surveys.

Measuring the effectiveness of work-life balance actions

The effectiveness of our work-life balance actions is reviewed via the employee survey, the Qualtrics monitoring and feedback tool and feedback loops in projects, for example working time projects.

Organizing working time is essential for the health, motivation and productivity of employees. Challenges arise in particular from shift work and alternating shifts, excessive working hours and an inadequate work-life balance.

Continuous measures ensure that working time models are tailored to requirements. They apply above all to employees in Germany who work shifts and alternating shifts and are exposed to particular physical strain due to their work. The measures are permanently established and are regularly adjusted, for example in the event of changes to the legal or collective bargaining framework.

Continuous evaluation processes are in place to determine the necessary measures, including surveys of subject-matter experts from the business units, feedback from working time projects, evaluations of overtime levels and the revision of existing employer/works council agreements. For example, working time subject-matter experts from all business units and Group management regularly exchange ideas in the working time coordination group. The aim is to identify needs at an early stage and jointly develop customized solutions.

Elective models for working time

An elective model allowing employees to choose between additional days off, more pay or shorter working hours each year was agreed in the collective bargaining agreements with the EVG and the GDL. This allows employees to organize their working hours more in line with their individual life situations.

Working time projects

Initiatives and projects were carried out in various business units in 2025 to implement models for individual participation in the organization of working time, such as the “My Swap” and “My Time” projects at DB Long-Distance and the individual annual work schedule at DB InfraGO. The aim is to use individual flexibility and participation to achieve a better work-life balance and thus increase employee satisfaction.

Measuring the effectiveness of working time actions

The effectiveness of the actions is reviewed using various methods:

• The employee survey, in particular the “Working time” section,
• Feedback on working time offers and
• Use of the Qualtrics monitoring and feedback tool and the exit and transfer survey to evaluate sentiment.

Gender equality and equal treatment are material in order for DB Group to ensure equal opportunities, employee motivation and its attractiveness as an employer. Challenges arise in particular from the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions and gender-specific differences in career opportunities and pay.

To ensure a focus on the equal treatment of women, the procedures for defining measures are based on a Group resolution on the women in leadership positions target from 2020, in which the main areas of action were defined. In addition, measures are identified in workshops and decided on by the HR Board, a central management body chaired by the Management Board member for Human Resources and Legal Affairs.

The actions relate to employees in Germany unless otherwise described. Actions are established on a permanent basis and are regularly enhanced.

Women’s recruitment strategy

With its women’s recruitment strategy, DB Group is pursuing the goal of systematically increasing the share of female executives. This includes gender-sensitive job advertisements and the mandatory requirement that at least one woman must be considered on the shortlist for subsequent appointments and that every suitable female candidate on the shortlist must be invited to an interview (with a maximum of three interviews per job). If there is no woman on the shortlist, the respective HR department may veto the proposed appointment. If this veto is confirmed by the Executive Board or the Management Board, the search for a suitable candidate continues. In addition, innovative working models such as job sharing, the “work where you want” concept and flexible part-time arrangements are offered to make leadership positions attractive to women with different lifestyles. The strategy makes a key contribution to implementing the target for women in leadership positions.

Programs for more women in leadership

In 2025, DB Group again made use of targeted development programs to increase the share of women in leadership positions. This includes career labs, mentoring opportunities and succession planning with a focus on women in leadership. Women have access to a wide range of career development opportunities that support their professional development, expand their network and increase their visibility within DB Group.

Ensuring equal pay

DB Group endeavors to ensure equal pay through a series of measures. This includes regular evaluations of the unadjusted gender pay gap for all employee groups in Germany. In addition, collective bargaining agreements and an established job evaluation system that is independent of the individual serve to ensure gender-neutral pay grading. Employees are entitled to individual information on remuneration structures via the process established in Germany for individual requests for information in accordance with the Transparency in Wage Structures Act (Entgelttransparenz; EntgTranspG). In addition, pay is also adjusted during periods of parental or care leave through collective bargaining and salary rounds, thereby ensuring that returning employees do not suffer any loss of income. These measures contribute significantly to reducing gender-specific differences in remuneration.

Measuring the effectiveness of actions on gender equality and equal pay for equal work

The effectiveness of the measures in the context of target achievement is disclosed to the Management Board and the HR Board via quarterly reporting on women in leadership positions. Regular gender pay gap analyses are carried out to ensure equal pay and to review the need for action. In addition, co-determination ensures pay grading in line with collective bargaining agreements.

The measures described will be continued in 2026. At the same time, measures are constantly being developed in line with changing conditions within DB Group. For example, an internal study is to be conducted in 2026 with the aim of identifying specific levers and fields of action, particularly in staffing, organizational and turnover processes, in order to specifically increase the share of women under the current framework conditions.