The additional risk-mapping work performed in 2019 to examine environmental issues for specific business activities identified the purchasing categories that are the most exposed to environmental risks. These categories include materials and energy purchases, whose early environmental impact is high (due to the depletion of natural resources or the high carbon impact of its production). Other purchasing categories also present significant environmental risks, depending on the business activity.
100%of framework contracts signed by Purchasing Coordination included one or several environmental criteria in 2021
In 2019, the Group produced and disseminated a practical guide to responsible purchasing. It clarifies that the sourcing of innovative solutions to protect the environment, fight climate change and achieve energy transition is an integral part of the Group’s responsible purchasing. At the end of October in 2020, an introductory course to responsible purchasing was made available to all employees as an e-learning module, to help them absorb the content of the guide. By 31 December 2021, 2,400 employees had completed it. A more advanced course for Group purchasing roles was developed in 2021 and completed by 120 employees. Thirty trainers will continue to deliver this new training in business lines. VINCI Autoroutes has developed its own responsible purchasing module for all employees who participate in the purchasing process.
Environmental clauses are also included in the supplier contracts signed with some business lines, divisions and subsidiaries. For example, the sustainable development teams at VINCI Autoroutes systematically participate in consultations with suppliers. At ASF, all contracts for the provision of programme management services include one or more environmental clauses, and for all large contracts for works (greater than €500,000) or intellectual services, suppliers must provide a full environmental impact statement. At VINCI Construction, some contracts with suppliers contain environmental requirements and recommendations, in particular regarding low-carbon concrete.
The Group has undertaken additional work to prevent risks across its most important industry sectors and purchasing categories. Eurovia France and VINCI Construction France established a list of their priority purchasing categories, notably including those categories exposed to social and environmental risks, and mapped them for each entity. Discussions with certain strategic suppliers (for example, fuel and concrete) were initiated with a view to reducing Scope 3 emissions. In 2021, the Group continued to assess concrete suppliers against environmental criteria (such as greenhouse gas emission thresholds), to expand its sourcing of low-carbon concrete. With respect to wood used for the frames and facades of structures, VINCI companies specialising in timber-frame construction source a very large majority (over 80%) of their wood from PEFC- or FSC-certified sustainably managed forests. In 2021, VINCI also completed its second CDP Forests assessment and received the score of C, which recognises the Group’s awareness of deforestation and forest degradation risks and best practices.
VINCI has set up an alert system, using a dedicated online platform, to process disclosures about serious damage to the environment. The system is managed by the Ethics and Vigilance Department. At the same time, the Environment Department monitors major environmental incidents as part of the Group’s annual reporting. A major incident is defined as one that requires the intervention of an external specialist and whose consequences stretch beyond the boundaries of the entity’s sites.
At the local level, the Group’s subsidiaries, divisions and business lines have their own procedures to notify management if an environmental incident occurs so as to promptly implement corrective actions. For example, the environmental managers of construction companies must make a detailed report of any environmental incident. The report is shared with the top management of the relevant company.
VINCI’s Environment Department, together with the Internal Control, Ethics and Vigilance, CSR, and Purchasing departments, supervises the work to monitor and assess the effectiveness of environmental risk management measures. This follow-up is performed on a continuous basis, through the coordination of internal committees focusing on each of the Group’s material environmental issues (the Environment Committee, the Biodiversity Task Force, and the Circular Economy Task Force). Monitoring and assessment are also carried out by the Group’s network of environmental correspondents. Among other tasks, these correspondents respond to the annual environmental reporting questionnaire, which contains about 60 quantitative indicators based on Global Reporting Initiative standards (a common set of indicators to assess companies’ sustainable development policies, see the cross-reference table, page 375), the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (see the cross-reference table, page 377) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board framework (see the cross-reference table, pages 378). The reporting process is an excellent resource for managing and following up on action taken to reduce the environmental risks relating to VINCI’s activities. It also incorporates some data on the subcontractors of VINCI companies.
This monitoring and assessment work accompanies the Group’s new environmental ambition, which aims to strengthen the commitments made by Group companies and sets targets for reducing the environmental footprint of their activity. The goals are regularly reviewed by VINCI’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
99% of Group revenue is covered by environmental reporting
