Social Responsibility Towards Our Employees

Sustainability is integrated into the IBB Group’s business strategy. Sustainability goals are regularly included in the annual target agreements with managers and the executive board, with achievement evaluated by the relevant supervisory body. These agreements make an important contribution to achieving corporate goals.

The IBB Group offers a company pension scheme, which is available to all employees regardless of their role within the organization. However, members of the IBB Board of Management do not receive a retirement pension.

In the last three years, no layoffs or job reductions occurred within the IBB Group. This is evidenced by the stable employment figures of recent years (see Sustainability Balance Sheet ). For resignations, IBB has regulations on the calculation of severance payments. The stable workforce is a testament to the group's commitment to job security. Additionally, IBB has regulations in place to calculate severance payments in the event of employee departures.

The company’s staffing plans, which extend through to 2027, show no anticipated redundancies in the coming four years, with any adjustments being managed through the age structure of the workforce.

Temporary employment relationships

IBB’s staffing needs are determined by the Executive Board and reflected in the company’s staffing plan, including full-time equivalents (FTE). In cases of external hiring, positions needed for more than one year are filled with fixed-term employment contracts.

The non-discriminatory principles regarding compensation systems and regulations for changes in compensation at IBB apply equally to all employees. There is no distinction made with respect to temporary employment.

Non-regular employment relationships

For specific tasks involving experts in IT consulting and services, auditing, and services related to corporate communications, the company engages service and consulting firms.

In 2023, 88.2% (923 people) of the employees were directly employed by the companies within the IBB Group. Of these, 92.3% were in permanent positions, and 7.7% were in temporary positions. In 2023, there were no risks or controversies regarding job security or restructuring.

11.8% (124 people) are not directly employed but work in areas such as processing COVID-19 emergency aid and providing support in coordinating COVID-19 emergency aid.

Additionally, there were other non-direct employees who temporarily supported the IBB Group in regular operations and during so-called peak times. Regular operations cover areas such as canteen operations, building and room cleaning, facility management, security services, occupational health services, and IT services. Peak times mainly involve IT services.

Individuals in non-regular employment relationships are not contractually bound to IBB, which is why reviews regarding equal treatment in compensation and provision of benefits, the right to permanent employment after a certain period, and priority rights for permanent hiring are not the responsibility of IBB.

Our flexible working models offer significant time flexibility. The IBB Group allows employees to work in ways that best suit their personal needs. Employees with families, as well as those balancing work with further qualifications (e.g., studies), benefit from the time sovereignty these models provide.

Mobile working

Mobile working offers organizational and temporal flexibility within the IBB Group. Employees have the opportunity to work from home or other locations within Germany. In 2023, 712 employees (76.8% of the workforce) took advantage of this option.

The company-wide framework allows for up to 60% of working hours to be spent on mobile working. The specific implementation of this framework is determined by the organizational units. This model enables all employees to work flexibly and independently, balancing work tasks and team cohesion. As part of their onboarding, all new employees undergo mandatory training on data protection, information security, and ergonomics related to mobile working.

Flex Desk

To support mobile working, the IBB Group redesigned its office spaces. This included a 20% reduction in desk usage, aimed at creating a more environmentally friendly workplace, optimizing office space, and fostering a more flexible, innovative work environment aligned with New Work principles.

Long-Term account

The long-term account offers all IBB employees additional flexibility in organizing individual working hours. Defined in a service agreement, this account allows employees to contribute time (e.g., overtime hours) or convert remuneration components into time credits. In 2023, 84 employees took advantage of this opportunity, using the long-term account for various reasons. This system allows employees to manage their working hours in a way that best fits their personal needs.

Taking parental leave, staying connected, and returning to work

At the IBB Group, it is a standard practice for employees of all genders to take parental leave in accordance with the law and collective agreements.

It is natural for employees to return to their previous roles and positions after parental leave. In 2023, 17 employees took parental leave - 14 women and 3 men. Of these, 14 employees returned to work in the same year, including 11 women and 3 men. Maintaining communication during leave is important to us. Prior to maternity or parental leave, we hold counseling sessions with expectant parents at both IBB and IBT. As part of a mentoring model, employees are kept up to date with the latest information in the company during their parental leave.

Childcare support

The IBB offers an external Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available 24/7 to help employees find childminders and kindergarten places.

Introducing children to their parents’ workplace

In July 2024, IBB hosted its 8th Children’s Activity Day, welcoming employees’ children to experience their parents' workplace.

Approximately 10–15% of IBB employees face the challenge of balancing work with caregiving responsibilities. The IBB strictly complies with laws supporting employees with caregiving obligations, such as the Care Leave Act and rights for employees during a child’s illness.

Beyond legal mandates, IBB provides flexible work models, long-term account usage, the ability to reduce overtime, and unpaid leave for personal emergencies, all to grant employees greater control over their time.

A comprehensive Care Checklist is available to all employees and guides them through organizing caregiving responsibilities, offering tools, tips, and support resources. A specially trained company caregiving coordinator assists employees in navigating acute or ongoing caregiving situations, providing mediation and advice. On average, 8–10 employees meet quarterly for moderated experience-sharing sessions.

The EAP also supports all IBB employees with caregiving responsibilities, for example by providing research and referrals to care facilities and available nursing home places. In 2023, no risks or controversies related to work-life balance were reported.

Defining training goals, needs analysis, and planning

The IBB Group promotes lifelong learning within the framework of continuing education with the aim of securing and expanding the skills of all employees (including part-time). This is an important element of the Human Resources functional strategy.

A competency model that encompasses leadership, methodological, and social competencies serves as a comprehensive framework to guide the entire training process at IBB, from initial needs assessment to final training evaluation. Each department has a budget for seminar funding. During annual employee reviews (BIALOG), managers and employees set individual learning goals for the upcoming year, agree on training activities, and review progress during the following year’s meeting.

At the company level, qualification goals were also set for 2023 and backed up with measures. In 2023, training needs included adapting leadership skills to future demands and conducting seminars on sustainability, legal, and regulatory topics. Leadership development programs for senior leaders focused on team collaboration.

Monitoring training and follow-ups

At IBB, the Personnel Development Team conducts debriefing sessions after each seminar with the trainer and separately with one to four participants. The training activities are evaluated annually using training statistics (topics, number of participants, external/internal seminars). Managers are involved in the budget planning process and needs assessment because they are responsible for the training budget in their area.

Both managers and employees are responsible for ensuring the success of training measures. They discuss how to secure the transfer of learning into everyday work after attending a seminar. These responsibilities are established as a work process. Additionally, recommendations for learning transfer are provided at the end of the training sessions and are sometimes agreed upon with participants. The Personnel Development Team ensures this in cooperation with the trainers during seminar planning.

Outcome and implementation follow-ups are initiated and managed by the Personnel Development Team whenever the training topic requires it. This includes, for example, practical advice from peer advisors after seminars on addiction prevention and support from care guides for employees who have attended short seminars on health topics.

The annual BIALOG employee dialogue is a core component of talent development at IBB. It promotes future-focused collaboration between managers and employees and provides space for open exchange about what both sides need to successfully address upcoming goals, challenges, and changes together.

The focus is not on backward-looking performance evaluation, but rather on a solution-oriented conversation about responsibilities, contributions to the team, individual accountability, development opportunities, and the creation of a healthy work environment. These conversations help employees reflect on their role, contributions, and development potential, while also enabling managers to identify necessary support and appropriate measures.

Topics discussed during the BIALOG include:

• Review of accomplishments and prior-year agreements
• Current and upcoming responsibilities, as well as team goals
• Role within the team, appreciation, and equity
• Scope for action, individual ideas, and personal accountability
• Learning, development, and growth potential
• Tools, workload, and work-life balance

If an employee is not yet eligible for target-based compensation, a training and development plan may be implemented to close the gap between current competencies and the requirements of the job profile. This plan may be discussed as part of the BIALOG, though it is considered a separate instrument.

The relationship between leaders and their teams significantly influences employee performance, health, and job satisfaction. Leaders are expected to meet various demands, including emphasizing the importance of work, identifying actionable areas, proposing solutions, fostering equal and open discussions, providing timely information, recognizing opportunities for further training, and more—essential elements for cultivating a positive and constructive work environment.

To align leadership with team needs, IBB introduced solution-oriented leadership dialogues in 2017/2018, replacing the previous practice of anonymous leadership feedback. These dialogues provide a structured approach for leaders to understand and respond to their teams' expectations.

In 2023/2024, IBB is conducting its fourth round of these dialogues. A service agreement to formalize this process was established in 2018, ensuring its continued implementation as a cornerstone of effective leadership development.

IBB continuously trains young people in dual study programs and dual IHK apprenticeships in order to build up its own talent pool. In doing so, we rely on long-term strategic cooperations and partnerships. The dual study program has been offered in cooperation with the Berlin School of Economics and Law (dual study department) since 1996. IBB is represented institutionally or individually/personally in the committees of the HWR, e.g. in the expert commissions for business and technology, in the dual commission, examination commission and also in the board of trustees of the HWR and is a paying member of the HWR's support association “pro dual e.V.”.

IBB is also an active member of the advisory board of the German Association of Cooperative State University Studies (Verband Duales Hochschulstudium Deutschland e.V.) in order to improve and ensure the quality and visibility of the dual study program throughout Germany.

The theoretical partners of the dual study program are the Oberstufenzentrum Banken, Immobilien und Versicherungen (OSZ BIV) and the Oberstufenzentrum Informations- und Medizintechnik (OSZ IMT).

Berliner Volksbank e.G. has been the practical partner for training as a bank clerk since 2005.

IBB participates in initiatives to increase the interest of girls and young women in STEM professions, such as Girls' Day and EnterTechnik dual. IBB is also involved in school internships and the IHK internship week . IBB also cooperates with Berlin schools in the area of career guidance. For example, trainees and dual students give presentations at their own schools to report on training and studies. On the one hand, this serves social commitment and, on the other, direct recruitment of trainees.

In 2024, we enabled young people to start their (initial) vocational training at the same high level in seven training occupations. For the first time, we took on an apprentice in the “IT specialist in system integration” job profile. The “IT specialist in application development” apprenticeship is paused.

In 2024, a total of 44 young people were in training at IBB, including 14 apprentices and 30 dual students.

IBB is currently training six trainees as IT specialists in the fields of application development (one trainee), data and process analysis (four trainees) and system integration (one trainee) and eight trainees in the field of banking.

There are currently 17 dual students pursuing the "Banking" specialization, six are in “Real Estate Management”, four in “Business Information Systems” and three in “Information Technology”. The aim in each case is to successfully complete the training/dual study program and subsequently be offered a job.

As in previous years, the induction days for the new young employees were held in 2024 to ensure a good start to their training, with the People & Culture department and other employees preparing them for their training together. The multi-day team development event with all apprentices and dual students was also held again. Regular exchange formats between the apprentices/ dual students and the trainers as well as the training representatives in the organizational units are an important element. Standards have been defined together with the People & Culture department in order to strengthen professional training in the organizational units. Onboarding events, training for training representatives and regular exchange formats are held to ensure the quality of training.

In 2023, IBB defined the principle of permanent employment as part of the process for transferring employees after training. The provisions of the IBB procedure therefore go beyond the provisions of the collective agreement for junior staff at public banks. In 2024, all junior employees who successfully completed their training were offered permanent employment, including three apprentices and nine dual-study students. The principle of permanent employment in accordance with the collective agreement for junior staff and IBB's internal hiring process was applied in full for the first time.

Targets are agreed exclusively with executives at the first and second management levels. The target-setting discussion includes both an assessment of goal achievement for the previous fiscal year and the agreement of new goals for the upcoming year.

The foundation is the shared responsibility of all executives for achieving the company's objectives and reinforcing the corporate mission. Only measurable performance targets are set. These are goals aligned with concretely definable outcomes. A distinction is made between quantitative and qualitative targets.

The focus areas of the target agreements include:

• Promotion of women
• Digitalization
• Demographic management
• Efficiency improvements
• Sustainability

The IBB Group promotes lifelong learning through continuing education to secure and expand employees' competencies. In 2023, the IBB Group invested an average of 3.52 training days per employee. New internal training offerings are derived from strategic topics. In 2023, these included digitization, sustainability, diversity, and compliance. Certificate training programs are offered for individual positions that require them.

The "L3 Scholarship" program at IBB supports lifelong learning by providing employees with assistance for job-related, high-quality educational opportunities that extend beyond the company’s standard seminar offerings and align with its broader interests. In 2023, 13 employees participated in this program. The scholarship can also be used to support employees pursuing degree programs. Additionally, IBB facilitates the acquisition of qualifications through measures such as flexible work schedules.

To address the challenges of demographic change, IBB regularly develops scenarios to assess personnel levels and needs, including age structure analysis. In 2023, initiatives included early succession and replacement planning, as well as the permanent hiring of apprentices and dual students.

To support leadership development, IBB collaborates with companies offering educational services in areas such as agility, new work, strategy, ESG, and team self-organization. An external education program is also in place to qualify promising leaders for key positions.

Leaders across the IBB Group systematically enhance their skills, focusing on their roles as role models, multipliers, change agents, and team enablers. In 2023, IBB provided navigation coaching, individual development plans, and leadership seminars for new executives. IBV introduced mentoring programs, further expanding leadership support.

These initiatives will continue in 2024, with the addition of innovative new topics to meet evolving needs.

Most IBB Group employees work in offices with an open-plan design and abundant natural light. The workstations are fully ergonomic, featuring height-adjustable desks, at least two screens, and headsets, creating a comfortable and efficient work environment for all employees. Meeting rooms, a canteen, and a café in the company foyer offer additional spaces for communication and interaction.

In 2023, modern and innovative meeting areas were created through the redesign of the atrium. These spaces not only support new work concepts, such as New Work, but also foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and networking among employees. They provide various opportunities for internal and external individuals to connect. For confidential discussions, there are several closed meeting rooms of different sizes available.

The IBB Group emphasizes participation in the workplace for individuals with limited mobility. Accessibility improvements include automatic door openers and an evacuation chair for people with mobility impairments in the key building areas.

Addiction and psychosocial crises can occur in any social environment, and employees of the IBB Group are no exception.

IBB takes a responsible approach not only to prevention but also to providing support during addiction and psychosocial crises. This approach is grounded in the duty of care for employees and the need to maintain the quality of work performance.

As part of this commitment, IBB introduced a service agreement in 2019 on "Prevention and intervention in cases of issues arising from addiction, substance abuse, and psychosocial crises." A separate "Non-smoker Protection" service agreement has also been in effect since 2019.

All new managers receive training related to addiction and psychosocial crises. Additionally, two colleague advisors are available to assist managers and employees with any questions or confidential discussions regarding these matters.

IBB’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers support in crisis situations. This counseling is provided exclusively by qualified psychologists and is available 24/7 in emergencies.

In 2024, the introduction of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for first responders is planned.

Preventing workplace accidents is a fundamental goal at IBB.

IBB's Occupational Health and Safety Committee consists of two representatives from Human Resources department, two members of the Staff Council, the representative for severely disabled employees, the women’s representative, the safety officer, the external company doctor, and an external occupational safety specialist. The committee implements measures based on statutory occupational health and safety regulations that promote the health and safety of all employees. The committee meets regularly.

In 2023, 100% of the statutory occupational health and safety requirements were met across the IBB Group.

All IBB managers provided on-site occupational safety training to their team members in 2023. They were also provided with two instructional films: “Correct Behavior in Emergencies/Building Evacuation” and “Work Aid for Instruction by Managers.” Due to mobile working and the limited availability of first aiders and fire safety assistants, an extensive training campaign was conducted, resulting in the certification of 142 first aiders and 196 fire safety assistants.

Charging stations are available for the IBB Group's electric pool vehicles, which are parked in the company’s underground car park. To ensure comprehensive safety in the event of a fire, IBB consulted with the Berlin Fire Department and implemented organizational measures to enhance fire protection and ensure the safety of employees.

Four generations work together in the IBB Group. We benefit from this diversity. The aim of the life-cycle-oriented personnel policy is to provide attractive working conditions for all age groups and to create the framework for maintaining and enhancing individual performance and motivation.

The management of demographic change is a central element of IBB's personnel strategy. The measures included early succession and replacement planning in 2023, as well as the permanent and temporary hiring of trainees and dual students.

Employees with disabilities are supported through tailored management practices that address their individual needs. Additionally, IBB’s representative for severely disabled employees, along with the HR department, provides advisory and mediating support as required. In 2023, 5.85% of employees in the IBB Group were classified as severely disabled or equivalent.

Since 2006, we have actively and systematically promoted the careers of women, the equal representation in leadership positions, and pay equity.

Thanks to our previous efforts and women's promotion plans, we have made significant progress. Gender parity at the departmental management level, the principle of equal pay for equal work, and a supportive environment that particularly paves the way for women into leadership positions are some of our successes.

With our current women's promotion plan, we aim to achieve gender parity at all hierarchical levels, including our top management level, the departmental and staff management. We also aim for improvements in areas where we have not yet achieved the desired success, such as the proportion of women in STEM fields. With the implementation of this plan, we reaffirm our commitment to further dismantling structural barriers and creating a workplace where the diversity of all genders is valued. Women promotion plans are also effective in IBT, IBB Ventures, and IBC.

The present Women's Advancement Plan of IBB 2024-2029 specifies the goals and describes the measures with which we aim to continue the success story of promoting women.

The IBB Group prioritizes gender-sensitive language in all internal and external communications, ensuring inclusivity for all genders.

IBB recognizes the importance of education and acceptance to achieve equal societal participation regarding gender identity and sexual orientation. Efforts to raise awareness included an expert lecture in 2023, focusing on the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.

In July 2023, IBB took part in Berlin’s Christopher Street Day for the first time, showcasing its commitment to visibility and support for acceptance and tolerance at both corporate and societal levels.