Some background information:
Let’s look at the German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). In it, it clearly states that no person may be discriminated against because of their:
- race or ethnic origin
- gender
- religion or beliefs
- disability
- age
- sexual identity
This is anchored in German law with the intention of preventing discrimination.
The AGG is important for us all, because it gives people who are victims of discrimination a right to legally act against the discrimination based on one of these points. Therefore, if someone was discriminated against on one of our services then they also have the right to lodge a complaint.
On the road with the BVG: what our passengers say
We stand for the equality of all people – not just in the form of our seating pattern. In addition to your transporting, you from A to B, we always have an open ear to your concerns. You can voice your concerns personally, via telephone, e-mail, or direct message social media. Please bear in mind that respectful interactions are very important to us. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, discrimination allegations still occur.
Common discrimination complaints include:
- No barrier-free access at stops/underground stations or in vehicles.
- Trains or busses not stopping for someone .
- Misunderstandings when getting on/off a train or bus.
- Ticket inspections.
- Early arrivals/delays.
- Behaviour on board, e.g. when carrying food and drink, animals, bicycles or large objects.
If you were a victim of discrimination or witnessed someone being discriminated against, please try to remember the incident in as much detail as possible. That includes answers to the typical “w-questions” (who, what, why, how, where), who was responsible and if there were any witnesses during the incident.
How we handle discrimination complaints
We take allegations of discrimination very seriously. We have an anti-discrimination team made up of specially trained colleagues that will process your complaint with the utmost priority and can also help you clarify an issue. When we receive a complaint regarding discrimination, we immediately reach out to the relevant people for a statement. Team leaders will then sit down with the people involved in the incident in a staff meeting and document their viewpoint of the incident. Once we receive this statement, we will inform you of the results. If we have done everything we can, but you need further assistance or are not satisfied with the result, we will refer you to the ombudsman’s office of the state of Berlin.
We don’t look away when it comes to discrimination
We do our best to raise awareness for issues surrounding discrimination within the BVG. We have introduced measures such as training for our employees and optimizing internal processes in order to tackle discrimination. But we are also transparent with you: Shamefully, isolated instances of discrimination may have taken place – we are not perfect, and we are actively investigating these suspected cases. Please help us by accompanying us and supporting us on our journey as we try to implement these measures.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why a fellow human being may feel discriminated against. There is no “right” or “wrong” in this context. No one can ever be denied that they feel discriminated against. We never know what has happened to the other person and why they feel the way they do. We are also not able to pass judgement and therefore take all discrimination allegations seriously.