Respect for human rights
We are committed, wherever VINCI operates, to respecting the rights of workers and local communities that may be impacted by our projects and activities. To this end, we are continually developing and strengthening our systems for assessing and preventing human rights risks and assisting our business units in implementing operational responses, based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
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VINCI's human rights guidelines
Implementing a policy to prevent the risk of human rights violations
Because we have a responsibility to prevent the risk of human rights violations, we have put in place a specific policy in this regard. We exercise heightened vigilance in five main areas:
- recruitment practices and migrant labour;
- working conditions;
- living conditions;
- practices of subcontractors and temporary employment agencies;
- relations with local communities.
VINCI’s Guide on Human Rights includes guidelines for each of these areas. This Group-wide reference document provides an overview of the issues identified and their implications for our companies. In addition, we publish our duty of vigilance plan each year. Its aim is to identify and prevent risks relating to the environment, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and human health and safety.
To support the operational implementation of the approach and accompany the teams in the application of the guidelines, we have also put in place various tools.
Our areas of action
VINCI's approach to human rights is supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility department, which reports to the Group's Human Resources department and its director, who is a member of our Executive Committee. It is supported by a human rights steering committee made up of the human resources directors of the divisions and business lines. This committee, set up in 2015, meets once a quarter. Each member is responsible for communicating the approach to his or her management committee and for rolling it out within his or her division.
We analyse and map human rights risks at country and project level.
- We distributed our VINCI Human Rights Guide, which was presented to all management committees and made available to all our employees in 23 languages.
- We have provided our teams with a performance evaluation tool via an internal platform, Managing Human Rights, available in three languages.
- We carry out audits of our subsidiaries and subcontractors.
- We are rolling out a Human Rights e-learning module available in seven languages for operational staff.
- We develop and offer specific training courses on certain issues or on how to use the tools developed.
We face complex challenges that affect a large number of players along the value chain. While risk management and prevention systems are continually being strengthened, our position in the value chain and the cyclical nature of our business mean that we do not always have sufficient influence to take full action. It is for this reason that, in addition to our internal actions, we have decided to join a number of external groups and initiatives to work collectively to support and promote respect for human rights and thus better respond to the issues at stake.
2023 key indicator
+30,000
employees at our subsidiaries covered by human rights assessments, representing 82% of employees in high-priority countries as identified by the Group
Taking part in targeted collaborative initiatives to increase our ability to act
The issues we face are complex and involve multiple players throughout the value chain. Although we continually enhance our risk prevention and management systems, due to our position in the value chain and the cyclical nature of our activities, we do not always have the necessary leverage to pursue every possible course of action.
For this reason, as a complement to our in-house efforts, we have joined a number of external coalitions and initiatives to collaborate with other stakeholders for the development of tools, methodologies and actions to promote human rights and better address our challenges.
Our main collaborative initiatives
Building Responsibly: raising the bar for the protection of human rights across the engineering and construction industry
We are a founding member of the Building Responsibility initiative, which brings together leading engineering and construction companies to develop common standards, improve practices and share tools. Following the publication of the initiative’s Worker Welfare Principles, a set of Guidance Notes was issued, one for each of the 10 principles, to provide instructions for their practical application.
Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment: promoting responsible recruitment practices
Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment is a collaborative initiative bringing together both leading companies and expert organisations with the aim of encouraging responsible recruitment practices and eradicating debt bondage. We became a member of its steering committee in June 2017.
Entreprises pour les Droits de l’Homme / Business for Human Rights: improving the integration of human rights into business management
We serve on the executive board of the association Entreprises pour les Droits de l’Homme / Business for Human Rights, which aims to strengthen understanding and consideration of:
- human rights issues in the activities of member companies;
- provisions enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the two International Covenants;
- the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Its work is part of a process of continued progress and improvement of practices.
UN Global Compact: supporting and respecting the protection of human rights
We became a UN Global Compact signatory in 2003, thereby entering into a commitment to support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within our sphere of influence.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) / Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI): fighting inequality and closing the gaps for inclusive growth
Business for Inclusive Growth (B4IG) is a coalition of around 30 global companies working together to promote inclusive growth, with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as its strategic partner. Its actions are focused on advancing human rights in company value chains, building inclusive workplaces and measuring impacts. We are an active member of the coalition’s working group on human rights and forced labour.
Establishing a specific governance for human rights
Our approach to the protection of human rights is coordinated by the Social Responsibility Department at VINCI, which reports to the Group’s Human Resources Department and its Vice-President for Human Resources, who is a member of our Executive Committee. The approach is implemented on the ground by the Human Rights Steering Committee, comprised of the human resources directors of all business lines and divisions.
This committee, which was set up in 2015, meets once each quarter. All of its members keep their management committees informed about their activities and are in charge of disseminating and rolling out the related policies and practices in their respective business line or division.
Enhancing our vigilance in Qatar
We worked in Qatar through our joint venture Qatari Diar VINCI Construction (QDVC). Fully mindful of the complexity of issues relating to workers' rights in this country, we exercised heightened vigilance with regard to working and employment conditions. To this end, we implemented specific measures and actions.
