Strategic challenge
Comensia was established in 2015 from the merger of four Public Housing Corporations (Sociétés Immobilières de Service Public). Today, the organisation manages nearly 3,250 social housing units spread across 15 municipalities and has the ambition to acquire an additional 600 units over the next ten years.
In 2022, the previous strategic plan came to an end. It was time for a new plan for the period 2023–2028. The challenge: a strategic social housing plan that not only formulates ambitions but also becomes a concrete steering instrument for the organisation. The plan had to guide the vision for 2028 and be translated into annual operational plans for each department.
Approach
Evaluation and analysis
The process began with a thorough evaluation of the previous plan. We analysed both the achieved results and the challenges encountered and mapped Comensia’s operations through a SWOT analysis of the housing corporation. All stakeholders were involved to ensure broad support for the plan.
Defining the 2028 vision
During a two-day strategic seminar, Comensia's vision for 2028 was translated into strategic and operational objectives. This led to an initial strategic memorandum, validated by both the steering committee and the board of directors.
Developing the strategic plan
The plan was further concretised by linking projects and measures to resources and timelines. A clear strategic guide for the housing corporation emerged with specific milestones for the period 2023–2028.
From strategy to execution
To ensure the plan was genuinely embraced within the organisation, Möbius assisted the teams in developing the first operational annual plan for social housing. During workshops, employees were actively involved, enabling them to acquire the knowledge and tools to translate the objectives into their own departments.
Finally, a governance framework was set up with the executive committee to track both the strategic and operational plans. This framework was aligned with Comensia’s existing reporting and management cycles.
Results
With the new strategic plan 2023–2028, Comensia now has:
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A clear five-year plan with specific objectives until 2028.
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Annual operational plans for 2023–2024 that guide teams.
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A governance framework that clearly defines roles and responsibilities.
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Tools that ensure sustainable strategy development and long-term integration within the organisation.
This process illustrates how a housing corporation can turn a social housing strategic plan into tangible results, supported by employees and management.
