Diversity Diversity as a success factor At Festo, people from 98 nations work together, with different backgrounds and perspectives. We see this diversity as an important success factor for innovation. It helps us overcome barriers, gain new perspectives and develop innovative solutions together. When collabo- rating in transnational teams, we value different working and communication styles, and we create an inclusive working environment that promotes employee satisfaction and attracts and retains talent worldwide. To underline our commitment to diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion, we included measures to promote “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” (DE&I) in our corporate strategy at the beginning of 2025. Countering discrimination Festo is committed to a non-discriminatory environment. All employees should be given fair opportunities, regardless of age, ethnic origin and nationality, gender and on a campaign day. On the International Day of People with Disabilities, the representative body for severely disabled employees also organized an obstacle course at two Esslingen sites to further raise awareness of inclusion among the workforce and create a greater understanding of disabilities. Women at Festo We continued our “Female Empowerment Program” in 2025. It supports female managers and women with great potential with a structured development process, coaching, and an alumni network. The regional mentoring program launched in 2024 also continued in the reporting year. The initiative was launched by four companies in the vicinity of our headquarters in Esslingen and is aimed at women in middle management positions. In 2025, Festo also joined a nationwide, cross-company mentoring program that has the same goal. In addition to these programs, Festo is working on further improving the general conditions for female employees, for example, with flexible working time models and additional mento- ring opportunities. Creating awareness Knowledge is an important catalyst for unlocking the potential of diversity. We have carried out the following activities, among others: – In various workshops for managers and all employees, we discussed how gender-cultural differences – i.e., those resulting from gender roles and cultural expectations – shape the way we work together. – To mark Diversity Day, we published a video in Germany that provides a clear explanation of DE&I. – As part of our Global Learning Week, we organized a panel discussion to highlight the benefits of diverse perspectives and interviewed managers who lead particularly diverse teams. gender identity, physical and mental abilities, religion, beliefs and worldview, sexual orientation and social background. We encourage our employees to address and report discrimination at an early stage. In Germany, for example, they have access to a dedicated complaints office, while internationally employees can use our whistleblower portal. In 2025, two violations of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) were reported, investigated and concluded in Germany. Promoting inclusion For us, the inclusion of people with severe disabilities and people treated as such is not only a legal obligation, but also a social responsibility. We want to promote physical and digital accessibility and provide an environment that takes individual needs into account. This claim is reflected in the Code of Conduct of the Festo Group. In the reporting year, we conducted a survey among employees with disabilities and published key messages Benefiting from diversity DE&I is an important part of being an attractive employer for Festo. In the reporting year, we continued to develop our HR recruitment processes, talent management and employer branding in order to make diversity even more visible and further promote equal opportunities for individual growth. A new “Female Landing Page” highlights our actions aimed at promoting women; one example being a scholarship for women studying for a Master’s degree in engineering. We have also introduced the “Moment of Diversity” as part of our Talent Management program, with talent conferences during which nominated talents are discussed and confirmed. The “Moment of Diversity” is intended to help prevent people from being unconsciously excluded from talent nominations (due to aspects such as language, pregnancy, age, gender or part-time work), thus making it possible for them to be nominated subsequently. We have increasingly advertised part-time positions during the recruitment process in order to appeal to more people. In addition, a survey of our national companies has given us a comprehensive insight into global diversity activities. We now want to share best practices internationally. The first meeting of the Festo global diversity community took place at the end of 2025. Employee networks: promoting exchange There are various networks available for employees to exchange ideas. These include the LGBTQIA+ network (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual/Transgender, Queer, Intersexual and Asexual) and Proud@Festo, where LGBTQIA+ people and employees can network and support the visibility of diverse people and lifestyles, and advocate a tolerant coexistence. There is also a network of women for women, Women@Festo. One of its aims is to promote professional and interdisciplinary exchange and allow potential talents to be more visible. You can find more information on DE&I at Festo under Diversity on our website. The “Female Empowerment Program” supports women at Festo with their career planning. 2. Social Festo SE & Co. KG Sustainability Report 2025 Festo SE & Co. KG Sustainability Report 2025 34 35
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