Sustainability
Green Transformation
Achieving sustainability requires a holistic approach. The Green Transformation is the basis for ensuring that environmental sustainability guides the actions of DB Group. For this reason, it is also anchored in our Strong Rail strategy. We are making all our products, services and the way we work increasingly green. To help advance the Green Transformation, we have defined four environmental areas of action: climate protection, nature conservation, resource conservation and noise remediation. At DB Group, we also recognize our social responsibility and involve our stakeholders in our actions. In particular, we focus on the people who shape us and our core business on a daily basis: our employees, customers, business partners and society.
Implementation of the Strong Rail strategy
There were no changes to our Strong Rail strategy (2021 Integrated Report) in the first half of 2022.
Outlook: Top targets strong rail
Top targets strong rail
ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT | 2021 | 2022 (Mar | 2022 (Jul | |
Passengers (rail) long-distance transport (million) | 81.9 | ~ 130 | >138 | |
Passengers (rail) local transport (million) | 1,121 | ~ 1,400 | >1,600 | |
Volume sold rail freight transport | 60.3 | >62 | ~ 60 | |
Train kilometers on track infrastructure (Germany) | 1,109 | >1,130 | ~ 1,130 | |
Customer satisfaction DB Long-Distance (SI) | 77.8 | 80 | 74 | |
Customer satisfaction DB Regional (rail) | 71.6 | 72 | 70 | |
Customer satisfaction DB Cargo 1) (SI) | 70 | 67 | 67 | |
Punctuality DB Long-Distance (%) | 75.2 | ~ 80 | ~ 70 | |
Punctuality DB Regional (rail) (%) | 94.3 | ~ 95 | ~ 93 | |
Punctuality DB Cargo (Germany) (%) | 69.8 | ~ 72 | ~ 67 | |
Share of renewable energies in the DB traction | 62.4 | 64 | 64 | |
Employee satisfaction (SI) | – | 3.8 | 3.8 | |
ROCE (%) | –3.6 | >0 | ~ 2 | |
Debt coverage (%) | 4.3 |
| ~ 10 | |
above previous year’s figure
at previous year’s level
below previous year’s figure
1) The survey is conducted annually in the spring.
Based on the development to date and updated estimates, we have adjusted some of our expectations for the development in the 2022 financial year:
- Performance development in local and long-distance transport in Germany is recovering more quickly than previously expected. We assume that DB Long-Distance will also benefit from operational capacity-related restrictions in air traffic. The 9-Euro-Ticket is having a positive effect on local transport.
- We have somewhat decreased our expectations for performance development in rail freight transport due to operating restrictions.
- As a result of the unsatisfactory operating situation, we expect weaker development in customer satisfaction and punctuality:
- At DB Long-Distance, we expect lower customer satisfaction due to the low punctuality and the tense operating situation.
- At DB Regional (rail), we expect lower customer satisfaction, in particular as a result of infrastructure-related restrictions on operating quality, more heavily utilized vehicles and space restrictions during the summer months in connection with the 9-Euro-Ticket.
- We have adjusted the forecast for punctuality values downward, at DB Long-Distance significantly, at DB Regional and DB Cargo less clearly. This was mainly due to heavier capacity bottlenecks in infrastructure, primarily as a result of construction work, and greater expected demand for rail passenger transport.
- An improved forecast of adjusted EBIT is expected to result in ROCE recovering somewhat more strongly.
The feedback of ESG (environmental, social and governance) rating agencies is very important to us as a benchmark and an indicator of our stakeholders’ main concerns.
ESG RATINGS | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Last update | Rating scale |
CDP (climate rating) | – | A | A | Dec 2021 | A to F |
EcoVadis | 68 | 61 | 59 | Jun 2022 | The best 1% (75 –100) The best 5% (67 –74) The best 25% (56 –66) The best 50% (47–55) |
ISS ESG | – | C+ | B– | Dec 2021 | A+/4.00 to D– /1.00 |
Moody’s ESG | – | 52 | 46 | Sep 2021 | advanced (60–100) robust (50–59) limited (30–49) weak (0–29) |
MSCI | AA | A | A | Feb 2022 | Leader (AA–AAA) Average (BB –A) Laggard (CCC– B) |
Sustainalytics | 24.4 | 19.7 | 19.5 | Feb 2022 | Risk assessment: negligible (0–10) low (10–20) medium (20–30) high (30–40) severe (40–100) |
In alphabetical order.
- In our EcoVadis rating, we were awarded the gold medal for our sustainability performance and therefore rank among the top 5%. We were able to improve our results in areas such as Sustainable procurement (from 60 to 80) and Labor and human rights (from 60 to 70).
- Our ESG rating has been upgraded by rating agency MSCI. MSCI cited further improvements to the already strong corporate governance practices as the main reason for this.
- In the Sustainalytics rating, DB Group was assessed with a moderate ESG risk, a higher ESG risk than in the previous year. This is due to the determination of a higher exposure to material, sector-specific ESG risks, combined with a worse assessment of the management of individual ESG issues.