Opportunities and risks in the market environment

Globalization and uncertainty surrounding future economic growth are pivotal trends in global markets. Global flows of goods remain important. As emerging countries continue to advance, regional flows of goods are becoming increasingly important. Economic and financial crises risk increasing global economic volatility in the long term. In the future, solutions tailored to specific regions and the flexibility to react to changes in economic development will play an even greater role for DB.

Greater prosperity means a better quality of life for many people. But there are also negative consequences to economic growth since it is still largely based on the consumption of non-renewable resources, which harms the environment. DB takes climate change very seriously. It plays an important role in protecting the climate by shifting traffic to rail and linking modes of transportation. By taking a pioneering role, it sets standards for climate friendly mobility and logistics through its green products.

Smartphones and the mobile internet meet many people's desire for smart simplicity. They enable people to search for and link modes of transportation, book and pay for them, and organize alternative routes – all in real time. Young people in particular, who have a more pragmatic view of mobility, prefer these types of solutions. Having their own car is no longer the symbol of freedom it once was. Smart and simple networking is more important to them and providers who offer it can play a decisive role in shaping the mobility market. DB fulfills its customers' wish for networking and smart simplicity by offering innovative apps and networked rail and road products and services.

Demographic change has created the challenge of providing sustainable mobility and logistics solutions for aging societies. At the same time, DB is facing increasingly tough competition for talent on the labor market – from school and university graduates to people with years of professional experience. DB is focusing on recruiting to cover the need for employees in the coming years.