Change is an omnipresent phenomenon of financial and capital markets.
However, this constant change also poses challenges for modern financial institutions and service providers. The ability to react appropriately to change is a decisive factor for a successful future of building societies.

While last year's symposium focused on the long-established tradition of the German “Bausparen” phenomenon (literally “saving for building purposes”) and the associated “Bausparkassen” (building societies), this year's symposium emphasized the changes that are already and will be shaping the industry: Persistently low interest rates, the advancing digitalization and new requirements and demands of customers represent challenges but at the same time also opportunities.

zeb and the Stiftung Kreditwirtschaft foundation therefore hosted the second HohenheimBuilding Societies Symposium—a platform for building society executives, industry experts, politicians and scientists—which was heldat the Hohenheim Palace in Stuttgart.

Key questions were:

• How can building societies react to digitalization and improve and expand their IT systems?
• What new demands are customers placing on building societies? How can customer relationships be maintained and improved?
• What will the building society of the future look like?
   

A series of talks and panel discussions addressed these and many other questions. Symposium participants joined in the discussions and used the forum for exchange and networking purposes.