Female Leadership. Male Allies. Young Talents.
How can we successfully increase the number of women in top management? And what role do "male allies" play in this? Join the discussion!
The proportion of women in management positions is a major issue in almost all industries. Although the figures are more balanced in the real estate industry than they were 10 years ago, we are still a long way from achieving parity. As part of EXPO, the Women Connecting Network at Messe München, the Women in Real Estate Association, and FRAUEN !N FÜHRUNG (F!F) hosted a panel discussion entitled "Female Leadership – Male Allies – Young Talents: How to achieve change towards more women in leadership positions in the real estate industry."
The figures are sobering: a study from March 2021 shows that while women make up 45% of students graduating from real estate-related degree programs, the average proportion of women in top management is only 11%. In administration, on the other hand, women occupy exactly half of all positions, and in accounting (46%) and HR (42%) only slightly less.
Numerous factors can be identified as contributing to this sluggish development, ranging from male-dominated networks and communication structures to different leadership mindsets. However, so-called male allies, i.e., men who support women in their careers and strive for equal opportunities—honestly and without prejudice—are indispensable on the path to greater parity.
In the survey, only 42% of all male participants saw a need for action in this area. We are proud that Norbert Hermanns, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Landmarken AG and Managing Director of Stadtmarken GmbH, is one of them and finds clear words:
"If we want to understand how society ticks, then of course we must also have those who are part of this society and who want to shape this society in our teams. We see Landmarken AG as a habitat where particularly talented people come together to think ahead about society and develop the real estate concepts that are necessary to support this social change. And how are we supposed to do that with a team made up entirely of men or entirely of women? We have to be diverse, we have to bring the right people together in teams in an interdisciplinary way, and we have to make sure that communication is right, and then we will achieve the right thing.
The recording of the entire event with all the facts and figures as well as the panel discussion is available here!
Images: Benedikt Roth Photography
