Article: Whistleblowing at DB
Compliance with legal regulations, internal guidelines, such as the Code of Conduct, and ethical principles is of the utmost importance within the DB Group. Our whistleblowing system serves to identify possible violations in this context by employees or business partners of Deutsche Bahn AG at an early stage and to prevent them as quickly as possible by taking appropriate measures.
The protection of whistleblowers is at all times guaranteed in accordance with the legal requirements. All reports are treated with the utmost confidentiality. Whistleblowers also have the option of submitting reports anonymously. Our procedure is designed to be objective and unbiased and to ensure fair and timely investigations. For those affected, the presumption of innocence is maintained until the violation is proven.
If you have information on possible violations of the law, you can safely submit it via our reporting channels described below. Please submit reports to the best of your knowledge and belief and indicate any assumptions and your own conclusions. Your report is of great importance for the detection of violations and the maintenance of a transparent working environment in our organization in line with our values and the continuous improvement of our company.
For customer enquiries and complaints:
Customer complaints about DB products or services are not considered reports within the meaning of the Whistleblower Protection Act and are not handled by the relevant reporting offices of the whistleblower management system. This is the sole responsibility of customer dialogue. You can find information, help and contact details on the Help & Contact website: bahn.de: For customer enquiries and complaints
The central reporting offices within the DB Group, with their respective responsibilities and contact details
Reporting Office Compliance
Responsible for corruption, fraud, embezzlement and abuse of trust
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Corruption; Fraud/Embezzlement; Additional reporting subjects)
Whistleblowing@deutschebahn.com
+49 30 297 62710 – Available by phone Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Deutsche Bahn AG – Compliance Whistleblowing Team, Potsdamer Platz 2, 10785 Berlin, Germany
Reporting Office Corporate Security
Responsible for security-related crimes (crimes against a person, offenses that are dangerous to public safety such as arson, damage to property, trespassing, etc.)
The Corporate Security Reporting Office is responsible for security-related crimes affecting persons, property, or operational facilities. These include, in particular, crimes against persons, arson, damage to property, trespassing, sabotage, theft in connection with rail transport, or resale of DB property.
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Crimes posing a danger to public safety and crimes against bodily integrity, unlawful entry, property damage)
Reporting Office Employment Conditions
Responsible for violations of protective provisions of individual and collective labor law (including workplacerelated crimes), provisions on the use of contingent workers, loyalty to the constitution on the part of public officials, and food safety
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of safety regulations under labour law as well as food safety violations)
Reporting Office Legal Affairs
Responsible for violations of antitrust and competition law, state aid law, and stock corporation and consumer law
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of anti-trust, competition or stock corporation law)
Reporting Office Purchasing
Responsible for violations of provisions of procurement law and contract award procedures as a buyer or tendering organization
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of procurement law)
Reporting Office Sustainability and Environment
Responsible for violations relating to the environment and human rights and complaint procedures in accordance with LkSG
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of environmental regulations and human rights as well as related risks)
Meldestelle-Nachhaltigkeit@deutschebahn.com
Further information on the LkSG complaint procedure can be found here: Reporting Office Sustainability and Environment (on nachhaltigkeit.deutschebahn.com)
Reporting Office Privacy
Responsible for violations of privacy regulations
Violations of data protection regulations occur when personal data is unlawfully processed, disclosed, stored, or otherwise used, in particular when legal requirements such as the GDPR are disregarded. Protection explicitly refers to information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of data protection regulations)
Reporting Office Corporate Treasury
Responsible for violations of money laundering regulations and financial services regulations
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of money laundering regulations and financial services regulations)
Reporting Office Corporate Accounting, Taxes and Insurance
Responsible for violations of accounting and financial reporting regulations and tax law
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of regulations on accounting, bookkeeping and tax law)
Reporting Office Railway Operational Safety (DB Group COO)
Responsible for violations of rail, transport and occupational health and safety regulations
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of regulations on railway operating safety and occupational safety)
Meldestelle_Eisenbahnbetriebssicherheit-Arbeitssicherheit@deutschebahn.com
Reporting Office IT-Security (DB Group CIO/CDO)
Responsible for violations of IT security, information technology and confidentiality/privacy regulations
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Violations of regulations on IT security, information technology and confidentiality/privacy)
DB Energie
Responsible for violations of regulations on energy production (promoting the use of energy from renewable sources and energy efficiency)
Online-Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Category: Legal violations in the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency)
FAQ
How can I report?
You can submit reports either by stating your name or anonymously. The following reporting channels exist within the DB Group:
- The Online Whistleblowing System BKMS® offers anonymous, web-based access for submitting whistleblowing reports and is available in twelve languages at any time. By setting up a secured postbox in the whistleblowing system, it is also possible to communicate anonymously with the responsible DB employees. The tool is managed by an independent operator. The data is stored on protected servers in Germany. The content of the reports is processed exclusively by specially trained DB employees who are obliged to maintain confidentiality.
- You also have the option of contacting the central reporting offices by telephone or email, as well as via other contact options listed.
How do I submit a report correctly?
In order for your report to be handled and investigated appropriately, it is important that the report is as specific as possible. It would be helpful if you consider the five W-Questions in your report.
Describe the situation and consider the following:
- What happened?
- Where did the incident take place?
- When was the incident? If possible, state the period, date and time.
- Why and how often did it happen?
- Who was involved? Who is affected?
Before submitting a report, please check carefully whether the information you wish to provide is correct. Please identify mere assumptions or your own conclusions as such. You can also submit a report without concrete evidence. The report will be checked and investigated further if there are sufficient grounds for suspicion.
It is helpful if you are available to answer questions for the responsible DB employees. This is also possible if you wish to submit an anonymous report; you are welcome to use the secured postbox via the Online Whistleblowing System BKMS® (Business Keeper Monitoring System®).
We would also like to point out that the intentional or grossly negligent making of false accusations can have consequences under criminal and civil law.
What can I report?
You can report any suspicion of a possible violation of legal regulations - for example fraud, embezzlement or corruption offences - that has a link to the DB Group. Examples include potential violations by DB's business partners, including serious risks and human rights and environmental violations by direct and indirect suppliers, as well as reports of possible violations committed by DB Group employees.
Please note that customer complaints about DB products or services are not handled by the responsible reporting offices; these do not qualify as whistleblower reports.
For customer concerns and complaints
On the Help & Contact website you will find information, help and contact details on this topic.
Who can submit reports?
The whistleblowing system is basically open to everyone, i.e., people outside the DB Group can also report potential violations linked to DB Group.
How is my identity treated confidentially?
The protection of whistleblowers and the confidential treatment of your report is of great importance to Deutsche Bahn. The content of the reports is handled exclusively by specially trained DB employees who are obliged to maintain confidentiality. All reports are treated confidentially and in compliance with data protection regulations. Reports can also be submitted anonymously.
What ist the next step after my report?
Upon receipt of your report, it will first be checked for conclusiveness or validity, i.e., it will be examined whether there are sufficient concrete, comprehensible indications of a violation of the law and whether a link to the DB Group is recognizable. If this is the case, further steps are taken to clarify the facts. If whistleblowers leave contact details or set up a secured postbox for a report via the BKMS® Online Whistleblowing System, you will receive a confirmation of receipt.
You can find the data protection information on the page Notes on data privacy.
External reporting office of the Federal Office of Justice.
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