Petra Kischnick: Successful WBG transformation in women’s hands!

Petra Kischnick: Successful WBG transformation in women’s hands!

The impressive success story of the Richtenberg housing association (WBG) shows how far clever management and a good sense of social responsibility can go. The foundation for this positive change was largely laid by Petra Kischnick, who had worked at the company headquarters since 1982. In recent years she has had a decisive influence on the company's fortunes.

The WBG was founded in 1990 and currently looks after around 2,000 apartments in 24 municipalities, stretching from Prohn in the north to Tribsees in the south. When Kischnick took over management from Anita Siewert in 2011, the situation was anything but rosy: with 31 million euros in debt and a vacancy rate of 17.5 percent, the company was facing major challenges. But Kischnick was not discouraged. It convinced both shareholders and the affected municipalities to take on part of the old debts, which ultimately led to debt relief by the state, the Ostsee-Zeitung reports on the positive developments of the last few years and Kischnick's role.

A good hand for the future

Kischnick, who became authorized representative of the WBG in 2006, was able to successfully implement the contents of a new housing association after the fall of the Wall. Looking back, one can say that their persistence and determined actions have borne fruit. The current status of WBG is anything but negative, with only 13 million euros in liabilities and an equity ratio of 48 percent. With an annual profit of around 1.5 million euros, the WBG is proud to be present at various events with panels and to make an active contribution to social life in the region.

The vacancy rate has now fallen to 11 percent, with Tribsees having the highest vacancy rate with 56 of 308 apartments. Recently, 1.5 million euros were invested in modernizing these apartments to improve the quality of living and meet the needs of tenants. This is in line with the goals of WBG, which is designed to provide personal support and the individual needs of its tenants, as the WBG website, which deals intensively with its services, underlines.

Social responsibility in focus

The WBG attaches particular importance to social responsibility. This attitude is also emphasized in the current discussion about social sustainability in the real estate industry. A new study by the gif Society for Real Estate Research has found that social added value in residential real estate is a central criterion of ESG requirements. More and more German housing companies are integrating aspects of social value into their decisions, which shows the social benefits of real estate and promotes the development of sustainable housing concepts.

The WBG has not only focused on saving on old debts and creating a positive financial framework, but also on establishing standards of social sustainability. It became clear that barrier-free access, shared green spaces and the creation of care options for the people in your catchment area are of enormous importance. Lively exchange with the tenant base is a cornerstone of this strategy.

After an emotional farewell, Kischnick handed over management to Katja Pagel and emphasized that she was proud that the WBG remained in women's hands. This step shows that the WBG not only assumes economic responsibility, but also social responsibility.

In summary, it can be said that WBG Richtenberg is well on the way to leaving the challenges of the past behind and shaping the future actively and in a socially responsible manner. Petra Kischnick's management strategy will certainly continue to have an impact in the coming years. Those interested can find further information about the WBG on the official website wbg-richterberg.de or you can view the associated press release Baltic Sea newspaper read up. The research results on social sustainability are also available on the platform Haufe available.