Better Health for All

Deutsche Börse AG's core business in financial services has a neutral direct impact on health. The company does not generate revenue from products with negative health outcomes, nor do its services have direct safety implications for physical or mental health users. It does not offer health-related products or services requiring accessibility, health risk disclosures, or addiction mitigation, nor does its R&D focus on health outcomes. The company's operations do not generate significant health externalities, and it does not conduct clinical trials or engage in public health education. The company demonstrates a strong commitment to internal employee well-being through comprehensive mental health initiatives. These include a Mental Health First Aiders program, a Mobile Wellbeing App (KYAN Health) available in over 30 languages for all employees and their families, and local psychological counseling for acute cases at multiple locations.

The INSITE program, for employees in Eschborn, specifically addresses depression, addiction, and burnout, and offers tools for mental fitness and stress resilience.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Deutsche Börse Group supports economic opportunity through several initiatives. It operates 'Scale,' a segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange specifically designed for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which facilitates equity financing and access to national and international investors.

This platform aims to stimulate local economies. The company also emphasizes financial literacy, offering a broad range of training and education programs for various age groups, from preschool to workforce, including free online resources. Approximately 50,000 visitors, many of whom are students, participate in free introductory talks annually to learn about stock exchange trading. Furthermore, Deutsche Börse is actively involved in digital finance, supporting Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and blockchain innovation to enhance accessibility and inclusion in financial services. It also supported FinTech startups in Frankfurt by providing equipped spaces and on-site assistance. As an exchange organization, the company does not offer consumer lending or deposit services, nor does it operate financial service access points, making several consumer-focused KPIs not applicable.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

The unadjusted gender pay gap for 2024 was 29.1%.

In 2023, 25.8% of employees were covered by collective bargaining agreements. The employee satisfaction rate for 2024 was 75%. The voluntary employee turnover rate was 11.0% in 2024. In 2024, no fines, penalties, or compensation payments were made in connection with reported discrimination, harassment, or work-related cases. In 2023, 11 reported cases required remedial actions and were handled appropriately.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Deutsche Börse, as an exchange organization, does not procure or trade physical commodities as part of its core operations. Corporate Purchasing reviews and updates the strategically most important product groups, which account for 70% of the purchasing volume, on an annual basis.

Audits for direct suppliers occur at least once a year. For 2024, no violations were identified by indirect suppliers, and no injuries were identified among direct suppliers. The company's own business area identified no LkSG-relevant risks, including modern slavery. Approximately 99.5% of the procurement volume is covered by the Deutsche Börse Group’s Code of Conduct for suppliers, which is an obligatory part of supplier contracts.

Honest & Fair Business

Deutsche Börse Group maintains a stringent zero-tolerance policy against bribery and corruption, explicitly prohibiting bribes and facilitation payments.

This comprehensive framework, continuously developed since 1996, is binding for all employees and management board members, overseen by an independent Group Compliance function reporting directly to the Executive Board. Regular awareness programs are conducted, and the policy's effectiveness is evaluated annually and reported to the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board. The company is also a UN Global Compact member, committed to anti-corruption principles. Additionally, Deutsche Börse Group has a comprehensive whistleblower policy, applicable to all employees at all locations, which includes zero tolerance for retaliation and ensures utmost confidentiality. Anonymous reporting channels are available online, via telephone in German, English, and French, and via email for human rights and environmental concerns, encouraging good faith reporting.

Kind to Animals

As a financial services company, Deutsche Börse's core business operations do not involve activities such as product manufacturing, animal testing, animal agriculture, or the use of animal-derived ingredients. Consequently, KPIs related to cruelty-free certification, alternative testing methods, humane certified operations, ethical input substitution, cage-free sourcing, animal testing policies and volume, innovation investment in animal-free technologies, animal agriculture ethics, and animal-free R&D collaboration are not applicable to the company's direct operations. There is no specific evidence provided regarding measurable wildlife conservation impact

, animal welfare-specific supplier audits , or direct public policy engagement in animal welfare advocacy .

No War, No Weapons

Deutsche Börse AG does not directly engage in military activities, indicating no revenue from arms contracts, no defense business to oversee, and no defense assets to divest, implying zero exposure to controversial weapons. The company prohibits economic support to sanctioned persons, countries, or territories, including specific conflict regions, and has immediate termination rights for non-compliant suppliers.

Its Supplier Code of Conduct, effective from February 2025, is an obligatory part of supplier contracts and fulfills the German Supply Chain Sustainability Act (LkSG) requirements, covering ethical, social, ecological, and fundamental human rights principles. Deutsche Börse Group publishes an annual report on managing human rights-related supply chain risks, adhering to the LkSG. As part of its LkSG risk analysis, high-risk suppliers and 70% of the purchasing volume are subject to annual review by an external service provider, with a warning system to identify and mitigate risks. The company joined the UN Global Compact in August 2009, publishes annual progress reports, is committed to respecting human rights in its supply chain and within the company, and adheres to the UK Modern Slavery Act.

Planet-Friendly Business

Deutsche Börse's near-term science-based targets were validated by the SBTi in May 2024

, aligning with a 1.5°C pathway. The company sources 73.80% of its operational energy from renewables. It uses Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard offsets, covering 9.46% of its total emissions. Deutsche Börse has a net-zero target for 2045 across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions , aiming for a 90% absolute reduction from its 2022 base year. The company supports TCFD, having published progress reports in 2023 and 2024 , and integrates climate-related factors into its overall risk management and governance.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

The company has 10 formal partnerships with local community groups and cultural institutions, including the Städel Museum, Business in the Community Ireland, Mudam Luxembourg, and the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation.

A group-wide complaints procedure is implemented for human rights and environmental risks and violations in its own business area and supply chain, accessible via a whistleblower system and email, with rules published in German, English, and French. Complaint receipt is confirmed within seven days. No cultural appropriation incidents have been reported. The company's operations do not typically impact cultural contexts, making specific cultural impact assessment protocols, FPIC processes, indigenous supplier tracking, cultural site protection, and social license to operate not applicable. Language inclusivity in communications for the complaints procedure is provided in German, English, and French. An Anti-Harassment Policy outlines procedures for managing harassment, and mandatory compliance training for employees covers workplace conduct, diversity, and inclusion.

Safe & Smart Tech

Deutsche Börse Group demonstrates a strong commitment to ethical AI, data protection, and regulatory compliance. The company implements fairness-aware AI models to identify and mitigate biases, prioritizing fairness, transparency, and accountability

, and invests in explainable AI models to enable understanding of decision-making processes . It has established a comprehensive compliance framework , including a Data Protection Policy based on GDPR , a dedicated Data Protection Officer , and regular audits , ensuring alignment with regulations like the EU GDPR and the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence since January 1, 2023 . Deutsche Börse also actively enhances its technological infrastructure to prioritize privacy , as seen in the 2024 development of the D7 platform , and employs measures like anonymizing sensitive information for data minimization . Furthermore, the company mitigates supply chain risks using blockchain technology and AI-driven analytics to identify threats , supported by a comprehensive security transformation plan developed with Google Cloud in February 2024 .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Deutsche Börse Group's waste diversion rate in 2024 was 7.53%, with 150 tonnes of waste recycled or composted out of a total of 1,990 tonnes generated.

The company demonstrated strong hazardous waste management, reducing its hazardous waste from 11 tonnes in 2023 to 3 tonnes in 2024. Furthermore, Deutsche Börse Group has comprehensive waste program requirements for its suppliers. These expectations, which are an obligatory part of supplier contracts and fulfill the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), include reducing environmental impact, developing a circular economy, and ensuring the safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials and other wastes.