Recruitment
DB Group is committed to fair, inclusive and transparent recruitment that promotes diversity, reduces barriers and strengthens the Group’s long-term skilled labor base. In 2025, the focus was on a systematic candidate focus, strengthening regional and target-group-specific access and the efficiency and quality of processes.
- Accessible and transparent selection processes: Continuation of the simplifications introduced in the previous year (including a compact free text field instead of a mandatory cover letter) and expansion of digital, accessible application paths. The aim is to lower barriers and increase transparency for applicants.
- Measures to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI): Actions in the recruitment portfolio such as the age diversity campaign to actively address experienced specialists in the 50+ and 63+ target groups or increased measures to recruit female specialists with, among other things, the annual women’s recruitment campaign for Women’s History Month in March, supporters and role models as DB ambassadors and interactive formats for schoolgirls on Girls’ Day. With our inclusion center, we offer support for people with (severe) disabilities, for example individual advice after a rejection in the regular process with the aim of jointly identifying a suitable job alternative within DB Group.
- International recruitment of specialists (cross-border recruitment): Bundling of international recruitment activities to fill bottleneck roles in cooperation with the business units. Continuation of structured procedures for visas, recognition and language support. The country focus is determined annually on the basis of labor market analyses. An additional focus is on recruiting skilled workers with a migration background who live in Germany.
- Evidence of employer attractiveness: External benchmarks and awards are used, among other things, to classify employer attractiveness. A selection of the awards in 2025:
- Gold Effie Award: “The Secret Alliance” young talent campaign
- Trendence Awards: 1st place in the category “Best Recruitment Campaign/Event (Group)” for the Age Diversity Recruitment Strategy
- Women in Rail Award: Women’s recruitment strategy
- Avature Award in the “AI and Automation” category
- Students’ Choice Award 2025 in the “Sustainability” category
- Integration Award from Land of Ideas (Land der Ideen) for the DB Scholarship language program for international professionals
Germany (Group companies account for about 98 % of domestic employees).
| External new hires by gender (excluding young talents) as of Dec 31 / NP | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| <30 years | 4,287 | 8,776 | 10,403 |
| Share of women (%) | 16.4 | 26.2 | 29.7 |
| 30 –49 years | 7,184 | 11,900 | 12,591 |
| Share of women (%) | 16.2 | 22.9 | 25.8 |
| ≥50 years | 2,427 | 3,732 | 4,011 |
| Share of women (%) | 16.3 | 21.2 | 21.9 |
| DB Group | 13,898 | 24,408 | 27,005 |
Germany (Group companies account for about 98 % of domestic employees). Not including recruitment and hiring of vocational trainees and dual-degree students.
Since 2025 excluding interns and working students. Figures as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 have not been adjusted.
Excluding young talents, we recorded significantly fewer external new hires in Germany in 2025. Nevertheless, despite the restructuring, DB Group continued to hire a considerable number of skilled workers. This related in particular to operational staff, for example in interlockings, on trains and in rail construction.