Can construction be a driver of social wealth?

So, what is a construction project? To a large extent, it is defined by its ultimate aim: the creation of infrastructure, an engineering structure or a facility designed to meet a requirement of civil society. This ultimate aim shapes the mission and purpose of the infrastructure business areas that contribute to improving the living environment and mobility of populations.

A major socio-economic impact 

In addition to the final benefits related to the infrastructure created, the construction sector is a “heavyweight” in terms of its socio-economic impact. This statement is corroborated by a survey conducted by VINCI in partnership with the CSR consulting firm Utopies^[1], which modelled the impact of the Group’s activities in France. This footprint – direct, indirect and induced – is assessed using several factors, from contribution to employment and GDP at national level to the creation of value through spending on suppliers, salaries paid to employees and taxes paid. Among the conclusions of the survey, it is worth noting that for every Group employee in France, 3.8 additional jobs are supported in the local economy, across various sectors; in construction, of course, but also in other sectors related to health, social welfare, sales & marketing, transport, etc.

^[1] Survey conducted by the CSR consulting firm Utopies and its Local Footprint® tool in 2024, based on 2023 data

Construction projects: a launch pad for jobs and social integration

Let’s now look at this at human, or project level. Managing a project of any size inevitably calls for human resources and skills, something which is met through local recruitment combined with knowledge transfer systems, ultimately stimulating both employment and employability. A good example of this is the construction of the new high-speed train line in the UK, HS2. During peak activity on the work packages N1/N2 managed by the Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) consortium, almost 8,000 people worked on the project and several thousand hours of training were provided at an operational centre installed on the project site. Construction projects also provide opportunities for many young people to acquire skillsets and gain initial hands-on experience that will serve them well throughout their careers. Through partnerships established with several further education colleges in the Midlands, the BBV consortium welcomes new students each year on apprenticeships, as part of their T-Level courses. This project is just one example of the social benefits of construction. 

In Colombia, VINCI Construction teams in charge of the modernisation and expansion of the highway connecting the capital Bogotá to Girardot (Via Sumapaz concession - VINCI Concessions) set up the Semillero Rosa programme: more than a hundred women from local communities were given training in construction jobs and then recruited for the project. The scheme provided many of the women with the opportunity to obtain a qualification and return to the world of work

Construction projects creating social "value" 

Construction projects can sometimes have unsuspected social benefits in terms of integration or creating bonds between local communities. As part of its work on the Grand Paris Express (GPE), for example, VINCI set up the “Chantiers & Territoires Solidaires” endowment fund in 2016, which has supported many community and general-interest projects located close to the structures built. This support can take the form of financial aid allocated to non-profit organisations, donations in kind of equipment from construction sites or corporate philanthropy where VINCI employees offer their time and skills to associations on a voluntary basis.

An infrastructure project provides an opportunity to get closer to local communities, driven by a desire to leverage social integration. The City Rail Link project in New Zealand, which will see the first underground metro system in Auckland, has been praised for successfully including members of the Māori community from the outset of the project. In a country with a troubled colonial past and in which indigenous populations have struggled for many years to obtain legitimate recognition, the project stakeholders made discussions and dialogue with the Māori community a core and founding principle of the project, with the long-term involvement of eight iwis (tribes). Specific measures have also been put in place to promote the recruitment of Maoris and Polynesians (especially young people who have dropped out of school), and to direct 10% of purchasing towards companies managed by Maoris.

Ultimately, a worthwhile construction project is one that has a positive impact on the people and communities affected by it.