S1-Own Workforce

Not audited

Our workforce is a central pillar of our success. We offer stable employment with fair remuneration, provide a wide range of training and education opportunities, ensure a safe working environment, and promote respectful collaboration and equal opportunity in all areas.

Management of impacts, risks and opportunities

An overview of the material impacts, risks and opportunities can be found in the chapter General information under Material impacts, risks and opportunities and disclosure requirements included in the Sustainability Statement (IRO-2).

Policies related to own workforce (S1-1)

BLG LOGISTICS has established various policies related to its own workforce. These include our Code of Conduct, our Human Rights Policy Statement, our Occupational Health and Safety Policy, including the associated guidelines, and our Code for Labor Relations. All policies are available to employees via our central document platform.

Engagement with own workforce and workers’ representatives, reporting channels and approaches to remedy (S1-2)

Feedback from our own workforce is highly valuable, as employees directly experience processes and activities in their day-to-day work. We therefore explicitly encourage them to contribute suggestions and feedback. In Germany, BLG LOGISTICS has workers’ representatives and works councils in accordance with the Works Constitution Act. The perspectives of our own workforce are incorporated into company processes through regular employee discussions as well as employee representation bodies. The interests of employees with disabilities are additionally represented by the Disabled Persons’ Representation Council as well as equal opportunity and inclusion officers.

Our workforce has access to various communication channels and points of contact, including senior executives, the Human Resources Department, Works Councils, employee representatives, occupational health promotion services and social counseling. Since December 2024, the BLG Integrity Line has also provided a whistle-blower system through which concerns can be reported anonymously. Further information can be found in chapter G1-Business Conduct.

As part of the double materiality assessment, a material negative impact was identified in the area of health and safety. Remedies include the implementation of occupational health management (OHM) systems. Further actions are presented under Health and safety (S1-3).

Actions and resources related to own workforce (S1-3)

Adequate wages

Our employees are crucial to the success of our company. Their experience and enthusiasm for logistics help BLG LOGISTICS keep moving at all times. Transparent and competitive remuneration based on collective bargaining constitute an important aspect of fair working conditions for us. Accordingly, remuneration is based on the collective agreements applicable to the industry and locations, or aligned with them in individual cases. In our international companies, we also aim to establish collective agreements to ensure transparent and fair working conditions.

Key actions include the regular adjustment of collective agreements to ensure adequate wages and good working conditions. In addition, the Group is continuing to develop standardized remuneration structures for all employees not covered by collective wage agreements. To this end, a grading project was launched in the reporting year with the aim of ensuring transparency, comparability and non-discrimination in the remuneration structure of our employees who are not covered by collective wage agreements. This means we are also complying with the relevant European requirements, for example regarding equal pay.

Work-life balance

It is important to us to take into account the needs of our workforce at every stage of life. BLG LOGISTICS offers part-time work and flexible working time models and, where operationally feasible, mobile working to improve work-life balance.

Social dialogue, freedom of association, works councils, participation rights of workers and collective bargaining

Employee participation is actively practiced in our company. We maintain an open dialog with our employees and attach great importance to respectful interactions at all levels. The basis of our social partnership is strong employee representation through works councils and employee representation on the Supervisory Board. All employees have the right to freedom of association and to participate in collective representative bodies. Key actions include supporting the establishment of works councils, maintaining a high level of collective bargaining coverage and regular dialog with employee representatives.

In the reporting year, nearly all expiring collective agreements were renegotiated and concluded. The long-standing collective agreement for commercial employees at BLG and EUROGATE was terminated in order to adapt it to current legal requirements. In this context, a decision was made to develop the company collective agreements of BLG and EUROGATE separately in the future. To this end, negotiations with ver.di were initiated in the reporting year. These include renegotiation of the framework agreement and the classification collective agreement, and for the first time, the option to structure working hours according to life stages within the context of a full-time employment relationship.

Health and safety

Our employees are at the center of everything we do, and safeguarding their health and safety is our top priority. Occupational health and safety covers actions to prevent work-related accidents and to maintain the long-term health of our employees.

At Board of Management level, responsibility for occupational health and safety lies with the Chief Human Resources Officer. Occupational health services are available at all sites through external, legally qualified providers.

The Corporate Safety and Environmental Protection Department (PSU) manages occupational health and safety at our domestic sites. It conducts regular inspections, reviews workplaces, and organizes preventive actions and training. The employees in the department hold all legally required qualifications. Binding standards, processes and tools for occupational health and safety management are provided via our Safety and Environmental Protection portal, and relevant legal changes are communicated. Information is also shared in operational meetings. Managers receive training on their occupational health and safety responsibilities based on the occupational health and safety policy and the associated guidelines. In the reporting year, this was one of the topics covered in the “Welcome@Leadership” training series. We also offer a dedicated occupational safety training course for office workers via our training platform.

In addition to the BLG LOGISTICS GROUP with the PSU Corporate Department, BLG Cargo Logistics, AutoTerminal Kelheim, BLG AutoTerminal Bremerhaven and BLG AutoTec are certified under ISO 45001 for their occupational health and safety management systems. In the reporting year, the new site in Ahlhorn also successfully completed the certification process. Thanks to established occupational safety standards, it will be possible to prepare additional sites for certification in the future.

Logistics workplaces are often physically demanding, particularly in ports and warehouses, where interaction between people and machinery requires special safety measures. Risk assessments and regular effectiveness reviews form the basis of our occupational safety system. Operating instructions and mandatory training are derived from this. Each site has a health and safety committee that introduces additional actions as required. Emergency and hazard response plans are also in place, and include clearly defined procedures for emergencies and first aid measures.

In 2023, a software tool for creating and updating risk assessments was introduced. It was further developed in 2024 and gradually rolled out starting at the end of the year, with most sites trained and equipped with the system in the reporting year. The aim of the initiative is to increase transparency and to facilitate the sharing of insights across sites.

The PSU Corporate Department follows a preventive approach. To this end, a standardized methodology for analyzing the causes of accidents is being introduced at domestic sites, and a digital system for tracking actions will be implemented using the software tool described above. Using the system introduced in 2024 for classifying accidents into hazard factors, focal points continue to be identified and targeted preventive actions are derived. Occupational safety also remained part of management objectives in the reporting year. In addition, occupational safety is an integral part of our sustainability targets.

All employees receive the same onboarding, training and personal protective equipment. Safety equipment complies with applicable standards and takes into account individual requirements, such as custom-fitted hearing protection. External personnel are also informed about applicable safety regulations. In addition, we offer training on topics such as fire protection and hazardous materials handling. This is typically delivered by external specialists in coordination with the PSU Corporate Department.

Our occupational health management (OHM)

BLG LOGISTICS has an occupational health management system (OHM). In the reporting year, a baseline assessment was conducted, including internal analyses and external benchmarking, to identify effective actions and define appropriate KPIs for management. Based on this, an OHM strategy was developed that defines prevention and leadership as key areas of action, and is implemented in coordination with Human Resources and Organizational Development.

Employees who are out sick for more than six weeks in a year may participate in a company reintegration program. Their return to work is supported individually, for example through a phased reintegration process or supportive programs for medical and occupational rehabilitation. Discussions about absence from work are also conducted to identify work-related factors and derive appropriate actions. An analysis of case numbers, processing procedures and existing company agreements was completed in the reporting year. Based on this, structural adjustments were recommended and negotiations on a Group-wide agreement were initiated.

Addiction prevention was further developed as part of OHM in the reporting year. Negotiations were initiated in the “Addiction” working group to revise the existing company agreement. The focus is on prevention, early intervention, and consideration of substance-related as well as non-substance-related addictions. The aim is to conclude a comprehensive Group-wide agreement on addiction management.

In-house social counseling is offered to employees and their families at the Bremen and Bremerhaven sites. It provides support with professional, personal and health-related stress situations. Mental health coaching will be rolled out in 2026 with a new provider and a significantly expanded range of services, allowing low-threshold access to professional support. This offering will be extended to all sites in Germany from 2027 at the latest.

An additional important step was the launch of a pilot project for instructors, “Mental Health First Aid.” Training to become a Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) qualifies participants to deal with mental stress and crisis situations, and to refer individuals to professional support services. In addition, new legal requirements relating to preventive medical examinations for computer workstations and DGUV Regulation 2 were reviewed, and their implementation was initiated.

Moreover, the employer-funded support association BLG LOGISTICS GROUP e.V. provides financial assistance for things such as dental prosthetics, hearing aids and health retreats.

The Occupational Health and Safety Committee (ASGA) was restructured in the reporting year. It organized health days that addressed topics such as diabetes prevention and preventive measures to avoid influenza, including vaccination programs.

The “Fit & Fun” prevention program was continued in the reporting year and expanded to additional sites. A cooperation partner provides fitness and health offerings across locations.

Training and skills development

The individual support of our employees is important to us since qualified skilled workers and young talent contribute significantly to our success. Development of their cross-disciplinary and regulatory qualification requirements is managed by the Human Resources Corporate Department. This department works closely with human resource business partners, training and site managers, in addition to the internal functions responsible for technical qualification.

In the reporting year, a comprehensive training program was offered in collaboration with the internal departments listed above, covering social and methodological skills as well as subject-specific content. In addition to in-person formats, webinars, e-learning and blended learning formats were used. The offering was significantly revised in terms of both quantity and quality. The training program draws on three main sources: a training catalog, on-site training programs (e.g., process training, mandatory training such as safety briefings), and the Tutorize learning management system. Tutorize offers seminar organization and also delivers mandatory regulatory training, technical qualifications, and programs to develop social and methodological skills.

In addition, as part of our qualification programs for operational managers, we continued to refine the “Career Paths in Operations/From Employee to DOP (Director of Operations)” program.

As part of the further development of our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, we are designing measures to specifically support women in technical and leadership career paths. In the reporting year, conceptual foundations were established for a corresponding development format. Further refinement will take place gradually in close coordination with the relevant committees.

The existing junior executive leadership program (FKN) was further developed into a management talent program (MKN) and aligned with a broader understanding of management that includes not only traditional leadership but also responsibility for projects, processes and specialist future topics. The program is aimed at internal as well as external talent. The first cohort (2025-2027) started in the reporting year. The program is designed as a 24-month development track and combines project assignments in different areas of the company with a qualification portfolio of seminars and workshops. In addition, development meetings are held and cross-departmental exchange programs are offered.

To promote language skills, we offer a “German for Logistics” program at selected sites in cooperation with Paritätisches Bildungswerk Bremen. This is aimed at commercial employees who need to develop their German language skills and is tailored to practical logistics work contexts. In addition, further language courses are available through an external provider, including digital options that can be used flexibly. In view of differing site conditions, shift systems and technical requirements, a new, holistic language learning concept is currently being developed. The goal is to establish a central provider for German and foreign language courses, with learning formats available nationwide for every learning style and need. To this end, a multi-site needs assessment is being conducted, which will serve as the basis for selecting providers.

In the reporting year, the joint project “PortSkill 4.0” was successfully completed. This was part of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport’s IHATEC II (Innovative Port Technologies) funding program, and aimed to qualify employees for digitalized and automated work processes in the port industry. The focus was on developing future-oriented skills and qualification profiles as well as testing innovative learning formats. Based on this, future job and competency profiles were developed and compared with existing profiles. Practical experience was incorporated into the optimization of learning concepts. A key component of this is the Digital Test and Training Center (DTC), where developed learning formats were consolidated and piloted. The center serves as an innovative learning environment in which digital technologies, simulations and practice-oriented training concepts are brought together.

Promoting young talent: a key to success

BLG supports young talent from the beginning of their training and imparts technical and company-specific skills. We offer various training programs in which they can qualify as warehouse logistics specialists, warehouse operators, industrial or office clerks, business administration specialists for forwarding and logistics, and IT specialists for system integration. Beginning in 2025, we will expand the offering to include IT specialists for data and process analysis and IT specialists for digital networking. In addition, we offer a dual bachelor’s degree program in business administration with a focus on logistics.

Our support program for existing employees seeking to obtain qualifications as warehouse logistics specialists was continued. The Federal Employment Agency supported the program by covering course fees and a large part of the leave of absence costs.

To attract young talent, we use recruiting campaigns on social media and participate in trade fairs, as well as offering student internships. At one event, colleagues from the Young Talents department informed young people from all over the world about dual vocational training and dual study programs at BLG. The event took place in cooperation with external educational institutions.

Talent acquisition

We rely on structured and efficient processes in our recruiting efforts. In addition to targeted social media campaigns, BLG LOGISTICS has established an active community management strategy on kununu. Vacant positions are first advertised internally in order to provide development opportunities and strengthen employee retention. The employee referral program supports targeted recommendations and provides bonuses for successful hires. Recruiting activities also include participation in specialized trade fairs and career events at regional and national levels. Targeted formats are also used to address talented women. In addition, an employer branding campaign is planned for 2026.

The partnership that BLG AutoTransport started in 2024 with a German language school in Casablanca to attract automotive mechatronic technicians and drivers continued in the reporting year. As part of the cooperation, suitable candidates are placed and get further qualified in our company.

Diversity and equal treatment

Because the BLG LOGISTICS workforce is international, we place great emphasis on respectful interaction. All employees have the same opportunities for personal development, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or qualifications. It is the responsibility of the Human Resources Department to continuously focus on diversity issues and to advise both the Board of Management and the workforce on these matters. BLG LOGISTICS has been a signatory to the Diversity Charter since 2016 and a member of the supporting organization of the Bremen Diversity Award since 2018.

In all selection procedures, ensuring adequate diversity among candidates is mandatory. The internal development program “Women in Leadership” is currently being revised and realigned with the aim of increasing effectiveness.

Two of the five members of the Board of Management are women. This makes BLG AG one of the leaders among listed companies in Germany in terms of the proportion of women in management board positions. We implement integration measures tailored to different life situations. These include part-time training programs for young parents and caregivers. Internships, entry-level qualification programs and apprenticeships support entry into professional life.

Inclusion of persons with disabilities

The one-year “Inklupreneur” project that launched in March 2024 was successfully completed. As part of the project, BLG LOGISTICS committed itself as a “pledger” to strengthening inclusion in the company. Objectives included developing the inclusion concept, reducing barriers and making job postings more inclusive.

BLG LOGISTICS has four inclusion officers who act as an interface between management, the works council, the Disabled Persons’ Representation Council and other stakeholders. They participate in quarterly exchanges with the recruiting team and also engage in dialog with external experts. A Group-wide inclusion agreement is planned for the long term. In addition, a standardized reporting system is being established for management, the works council and the Disabled Persons’ Representation Council. A guideline on inclusion and additional communication formats are currently being developed. The inclusion officers meet three times a year to evaluate the progress of actions and define next steps. At the same time, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy is being developed, and starting from January 2026, ten employees from across Germany are being trained as inclusion ambassadors. In the Bremen area, our collaboration with AdeA (“Auf den ersten Arbeitsmarkt”), helps young people with intellectual disabilities transition to the open labor market.

Metrics and targets

Targets related to own workforce (S1-4)

As our employees at domestic sites account for 89.9 percent of our workforce, we currently consider only our fully consolidated domestic entities when assessing progress toward our social sustainability targets. The collection of non-financial metrics abroad was significantly expanded in the reporting year, and integration into target tracking will be reviewed in 2026.

The target metric “0 fatal accidents” relates exclusively to our own workforce.

The target relating to the health rate was newly developed in the reporting year and will come into effect from 2026. The relevant key performance indicator will be disclosed starting from the first reporting year in which the target is effective. At present, only collective agreement coverage is recorded under the target “Fair Working Conditions and Human Rights.” Beyond the reporting year, we will work on improving the measurability of further qualitative targets, which will include not only own employees but also non-employees and contractors.

Characteristics of the undertaking’s employees (S1-5)

As of December 31, 2025, a total of 8,917 employees were employed worldwide in the fully consolidated companies of BLG LOGISTICS. The majority of our employees (92.3 percent) have permanent employment contracts. As of the reporting date, no employees identified as non-binary. For this reason, the category “non-binary” is not shown separately in the following tables.

Staff turnover as an indicator

Staff turnover is considered an important indicator of employee satisfaction. The well-being of our employees is also economically relevant, as recruiting and onboarding new employees involves time and costs. In 2025, 1,570 employees in Germany left the company voluntarily or due to dismissal, retirement or death. This results in a turnover rate of 18.9 percent at our domestic sites. The turnover rate in 2025 was significantly influenced by workforce reductions under social plans at two German sites. Since the data collection method was aligned with ESRS in the reporting year, no comparable previous-year figure is available.

Characteristics of non-employees in the undertaking’s own workforce (S1-6)

Due to fluctuating order volumes, BLG LOGISTICS uses non-employees to manage peak workloads or in cases where contracts are very short-term. We work exclusively with service providers who meet collective bargaining agreement minimum standards. As a matter of course, we ensure that the principle of “equal pay for equal work” is always observed in accordance with the Act on Temporary Agency Work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz, AÜG).

As of December 31, 2025, our domestic companies employed 862 non-employees, of whom 245 were engaged via Gesamthafenbetrieb (GHB) and 617 in connection with other temporary staffing arrangements. In the previous year, the number stood at 1,347, representing a decrease of approximately 36 percent. No self-employed people were hired.

Collective bargaining coverage and social dialogue (S1-7)

In 2025, 98.1 percent of our employees in Germany were covered by a collective bargaining agreement (previous year: 97.3%). The remaining 1.9% relate to employees of our fully consolidated subsidiaries AutoRail and RailTec, whose remuneration is based on industry benchmarks. In addition, student assistants and interns are currently not recorded as covered by collective agreements due to system limitations. There are currently no collective agreements in place at our site in Poland. There are also no agreements regarding representation by a European Works Council (EWC), a European Company (SE) Works Council or a European Cooperative Society (SCE) works council.

Diversity metrics (S1-8)

The proportion of women in management levels 0-3 within the German companies decreased slightly in the reporting year from 26.3 percent to 25.8 percent. The target of at least 30 percent was therefore not achieved.

Adequate wages (S1-9)

Our employees are paid on the basis of the collective agreements applicable in our industry and at the respective locations, or in individual cases at comparable rates. In our international companies, too, we promote regulations in line with collective labor agreements that guarantee transparent and fair working conditions. Both our own employees and temporary workers receive at least the legal minimum wage as a matter of course.

Training and skills development metrics (S1-12)

Training hours

In the reporting year, more than 67,000 training hours were organized at our domestic sites. This corresponds to an average of 8.5 training hours per employee. The target of at least 5.5 centrally documented training hours per employee was thus exceeded once again. A total of 8,573 e-learning modules were completed via the learning management system in the reporting year. In total, 2,432 employees used the digital learning offer.

Since 2024, training programs organized and conducted at the local level have also been recorded centrally, which limits comparability with previous years. In the reporting year, we further tightened our sustainability target for training hours. From 2026 onward, we aim to achieve at least two training days per employee per year.

Trainee ratio (company-specific)

In the reporting period, 222 trainees were employed at our sites in Germany (previous year: 207). This corresponds to a trainee ratio of 2.8 percent (previous year: 2.3 percent) As a result, the target of at least 2 percent was again exceeded.

Health and safety metrics (S1-13)

The following information relates to employees at our sites in Germany. Inclusion of fully consolidated international sites will follow in the coming years.

In the reporting year, 100 percent of the workforce in Germany was covered by an occupational health and safety management system based on legal requirements and/or recognized standards.

The number of fatalities resulting from reportable work-related accidents and reportable work-related illnesses was 0 in the reporting year, as in the previous year.

In 2025, 315 work-related accidents with at least one day of lost time were recorded (previous year: 345). Two new sites that were added in the reporting year will be included in the statistics from 2026 onward.

The lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) was 28.8 in 2025 (previous year: 29.1), representing a reduction of 1.1%. The objective remains to reduce the LTIFR by 10% annually.

Incidents of discrimination and other human rights incidents (S1-16)

In the reporting year, no confirmed cases of discrimination or other work-related human rights violations involving the company’s own workforce were recorded. No fines, penalties or compensation payments were imposed in connection with such incidents.