research in partnership with the University of Lorraine, through Dessert, an Ademe-financed project on soil unsealing and ecosystem services for resilient regions. The main objective of this project is to test methods determine the best soil unsealing processes. This test site on the Escota network is part of a national study to collect vast amount of data to qualify and quantify the unsealed urban soil, water and plant system. Based on these experiments, a guide on soil unsealing will be produced.
To implement its Biodiversity Action Plan, which has retained the Wildlife Trust Biodiversity Benchmark Award for the eighth year in a row, London Gatwick airport is working with the Gatwick Greenspace Partnership, which lets volunteers participate in habitat conservation projects on the 75 hectares of non-operational land surrounding the concession. In the summer of 2022, the Gatwick Greenspace Partnership hosted the Wild Wanderers Bushcamp training course on airport grounds. Other partners, such as Surrey Butterfly Conservation and the British Trust for Ornithology, are helping London Gatwick airport to implement new ecological assessment methods and to train its employees. In 2022, 20 ecological assessments were carried out to list the 2,383 species present on the site.
77% reduction in the consumption of phytosanitary products at concessions between 2018 and 2022
The zero phytosanitary products target is shared by VINCI companies (excluding measures required under contracts or regulations). At VINCI Autoroutes, consumption of these products has fallen by more than 98% since 2008. Now products are only used in areas with extremely limited accessibility or to treat certain invasive plant species. In 2022, 41 out of 48 airports met the zero phytosanitary products target, i.e. four more than in 2021. A reduction of just over 77% in the use of phytosanitary products (in litres) occurred between 2018 and 2022 for the Concessions business as a whole.
VINCI Construction’s Road France Division expects all of its quarries to have a voluntary biodiversity or water preservation action plan in place by 2030. The implementation of advanced biodiversity preservation measures is a firmly established practice at quarry sites. As regulations require them to rehabilitate sites after operation is complete, quarries have acquired extensive ecological expertise, especially in environment dynamics. Actions have begun to be implemented voluntarily during the quarrying phase so that species and operating quarries can coexist. Working with local nature protection organisations, operators sometimes discontinue work in specific areas during nesting periods or add elements to their sites to prevent wildlife from entering quarrying areas (e.g. fences). Ecological management measures are taken in prairie areas to avoid mowing or to implement grazing strategies, which limit the impact of mowing on species. Some sites apply ecological engineering to recreate ponds or rock piles, which provide excellent habitats for animals. It is also worth noting that these initiatives are implemented over the long term during the operation of these sites. Measures and their effectiveness can therefore be monitored, which is often carried out voluntarily with conservation organisations.
The partnership with PatriNat, a collaborative research and education entity focusing on natural heritage (see paragraph 3.1.5, “Dialogue with stakeholders”, page 228), has resulted in a methodology used to analyse natural zoning and a study on the balance of plant and animal life at each site. Using this proactive approach, VINCI Construction’s quarry sites can be mapped based on their natural environment and the species living there. Measures can then be determined to conserve and provide a favourable environment for new plant and animal species. Based on an Ecological Quality Indicator (IQE) designed by France’s National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), the method has been tested on about 30 quarries since the partnership was founded (on 160 sites in France). VINCI Construction’s existing fauna and flora data have also been centralised and analysed to expand the national databases.
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarries that have set up a CLCS (*) | Quarries that have set up a CLCS (*)2022 55% |
Quarries that have set up a CLCS (*)2021 45% |
Quarries that have set up a CLCS (*)2020 45% |
| Quarries that have formed partnerships with local naturalists | Quarries that have formed partnerships with local naturalists 2022 20% |
Quarries that have formed partnerships with local naturalists 2021 19% |
Quarries that have formed partnerships with local naturalists 2020 19% |
| Number of data on flora and fauna sent to the INPN (**) by VINCI Construction quarries | Number of data on flora and fauna sent to the INPN (**)by VINCI Construction quarries 2022 17,701 |
Number of data on flora and fauna sent to the INPN (**)by VINCI Construction quarries 2021 17,083 |
Number of data on flora and fauna sent to the INPN (**)by VINCI Construction quarries 2020 14,695 |
(*) Commission locale de concertation et de suivi (local committee for consultation and monitoring).
(**) Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel (national inventory of natural heritage).
VINCI Construction companies identify priority issues and apply the “avoid, reduce, compensate” strategy when responding to calls for tender. Solutions are then defined to adapt to the worksite, and, if possible, more efficient alternatives can also be put forward to customers.
VINCI Construction has updated its environmental technical documentation to include new best practices for biodiversity preservation. Avoidance and mitigation measures can take the following forms: combating invasive non-native species, changing worksite access routes if they cross sensitive areas, adapting timetables to species, conservation fishing, relocating species, diverting waterways, marking out worksite areas according to species, planting and replanting slopes, etc. The Earthworks, Maritime and River Works delegation of VINCI Construction’s Networks France Division plans to apply the biodiversity standards of the Actons la Bionécessité initiative (http://bit.ly/3knmzBP) at its worksites, going beyond regulatory requirements. This initiative aims to raise the awareness of employees and stakeholders and provide them with tools to promote biodiversity. In 2022, the sustainable performance teams from VINCI Construction’s Building France and Civil Engineering France divisions stepped up the deployment of their biodiversity strategy for projects. Incorporating green surfaces into built infrastructure is a critical solution for enhancing ecological connectivity in cities, ensuring genetic diversity of species and allowing them to complete their life cycle, especially in their movement.
