Ever since 2009, DB has been a partner of the Bergwaldprojekt e. V. association, which is dedicated to nature conservation and has "protecting our forests together" as its motto. In that time, our employees and vocational trainees have been working together with many volunteers to plant thousands of trees, to create a resilient mixed forest and a healthier environment. This not only boosts team spirit, but it also increases people's understanding of the connections between nature and the forest ecosystem.
Get on board and donate trees
In addition to this voluntary work carried out by our employees, our customers are also involved in numerous fundraising campaigns. In April and May 2022, for example, we donated one tree for every hundredth comfort check-in carried out by customers on long distance trips. This resulted in more than 10,000 trees being planted for the Bergwaldprojekt in the fall of 2022. In addition, BahnBonus travelers can exchange their points for trees. And in our on-board restaurants, we donate ten cents from the price of selected meals to the Bergwaldprojekt.
A tree for every new employee
As a sustainable employer, DB has set itself a very special goal. We are partnering with Bergwaldprojekt e.V. to plant one tree for every new employee. In 2022, we have already welcomed 26,000 new employees to our company. As a result, we not only achieved our recruitment target ahead of schedule, but actually exceeded it. We will plant young native trees in a total of ten regions across Germany by April 2023.
Tally of successes for forests and the planet
Thanks to the various campaigns, we were able to have more than 438,000 trees planted and 175 hectares of close-to-nature forest restored by the end of 2021– a total of around 245 soccer fields. This support is more essential than ever, because Germany's forests and woodlands are in bad shape. Trees are suffering from the impact of lower precipitation levels and increasingly severe storms. With the help of our customers and employees, we are actively contributing to reconstructing the woodlands' ecosystems.
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Durch die verschiedenen Aktionen konnten bis Ende 2022 insgesamt über 438.000 Bäume gepflanzt und 175 Hektar naturnahe Waldfläche wiederhergestellt werden. Das entspricht umgerechnet einer Fläche von rund 245 Fußballfeldern. Diese Unterstützung ist wichtiger als je zuvor, denn dem deutschen Wald geht es schlecht. Zu schaffen machen den Bäumen die Trockenheit und die Stürme, die immer stärker werden. Gemeinsam mit unseren Kund:innen und Mitarbeitenden leisten wir einen aktiven Beitrag zum Wiederaufbau des Ökosystems Wald.
