Sustainability is a central component of Deutsche Bahn's business model. At the same time, the S3 rehabilitation program is tackling the demanding task of restoring rail infrastructure performance, improving the customer experience, and securing DB’s financial viability.
Many companies are currently facing similar challenges. In addition, public sentiment has shifted. That’s why dialogue around sustainability is more important than ever.
With its Sustainability Forum, Deutsche Bahn has established a central platform for dialogue among decision-makers from politics, business, science, and civil society. This year's full-day event will focus on the key question: “Can sustainability be a tough economic factor in times of crisis?” DB looks forward to discussing this with its guests at the Sustainability Forum on October 16, 2025, at the French Cathedral on Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt – including Daniel Günther, Member of the State Parliament and Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein, Christian Bernreiter, Bavarian State Minister for Housing, Construction and Transport and Chairman of the Conference of Transport Ministers, Dr. Maja Göpel, transformation researcher, Gunnar Groebler, CEO of Salzgitter AG, and Kerstin Andreae, Chair of the Executive Board and Member of the Presidium, German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW).
Panel guests
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Daniel Günther, MdL
Minister-President of the State of Schleswig-Holstein
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Christian Bernreiter, MdL
Bavarian State Minister for Housing, Construction and Transport and Chairman of the Conference of Transport Ministers
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Tarek Al-Wazir, MdB
Chairman of the Transport Committee of the German Bundestag
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Gitta Connemann, MdB
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy
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Ulrich Lange, MdB
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Transport
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Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, MdB
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
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Andreas Jung, MdB
Deputy Chairman of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group
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Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel
Transformation Researcher
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Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther
Director and Member of the Presidium, German Economic Institute (IW)
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Gunnar Groebler
CEO, Salzgitter AG
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Dr. Carsten Schildknecht
CEO, Zurich Group Germany
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Verena Bentele
President, Social Association VdK Germany
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Kerstin Andreae
Chair of the Executive Board and Member of the Presidium, German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW)
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Prof. Dr. Kai Niebert
President, German Nature Conservation Ring (DNR)
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Kerstin Rippel
Director General, German Steel Association (WV Stahl)
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Dr. Renate Hagedorn
Vice President, German Meteorological Service (DWD)
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Alexander Gunkel
Member of the Executive Board, Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA)
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Prof. Dr. Mark Lawrence
Scientific Director, Research Institute for Sustainability – Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (RIFS)
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Dr. Fanny Thornton
Senior Scientist and Project Leader, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
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Werner Gatzer
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bahn
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Dr. Richard Lutz
Chairman of the Management Board, Deutsche Bahn
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Dr. Sigrid Nikutta
Member of the Management Board for Freight Transport, Deutsche Bahn, and CEO, DB Cargo
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Dr. Daniela Gerd tom Markotten
Member of the Management Board for Digitalization and Technology,
Deutsche Bahn -
Martin Seiler
Member of the Management Board for Human Resources and Legal Affairs, Deutsche Bahn
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Katrin Habenschaden
Head of Sustainability and Environment, Deutsche Bahn
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Anja Bröker
Company spokesperson, Deutsche Bahn
Since 2019, Deutsche Bahn’s Sustainability Forum has brought together decision-makers from politics, business, civil society, and academia to discuss current issues in sustainable business practices. In previous years, panel guests have included high-ranking DAX CEOs, representatives of the German federal government, the heads of various environmental organizations, and members of Deutsche Bahn’s Supervisory and Management Boards.
Excerpt from the list of previous panel guests
In addition to representatives of Deutsche Bahn, the panel guests in previous years have included, among others:
- Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Cramer, lead author of the IPCC report
- Vincent Ducrot, Chair of the Board of Management of SBB
- Yasmin Fahimi, Chair of the DGB
- Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel, transformation researcher
- Dr. Robert Habeck, Member of the German Bundestag, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection
- Michael Hähnel, Managing Director of Rügenwalder Mühle
- Christoph Heinrich, Managing Director of the WWF
- Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG
- Christian Klein, CEO and Member of the Management Board of SAP
- Dr. Brigitte Knopf, Secretary General of the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
- Michael Kretschmer, Member of the State Parliament and Minister-President of the Free State of Saxony
- Jörg-Andreas Krüger, President of NABU
- Steffi Lemke, Member of the Bundestag and Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection
- Andreas Matthä, Chair of the Management Board of ÖBB
- Hildegard Müller, President of VDA
- Luisa Neubauer, activist with Fridays for Future
- Prof. Dr. Kai Niebert, President of DNR
- Carla Reemtsma, spokesperson for Fridays for Future
- Prof. Dr. Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
- Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
- Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG
- Achim Steiner, Head of the United Nations Development Program
- Dr. Volker Wissing, Member of the German Bundestag and Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport
- Hendrik Wüst, Member of the State Parliament and Minister-President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
