4. Duty of vigilance plan
This section of the Universal Registration Document aims to satisfy the requirements of Law 2017-399 on the duty of vigilance of parent companies and subcontracting companies to identify risks and prevent severe impacts on human rights and fundamental freedoms, on people’s health and safety and on the environment, resulting from the activities of the company, those of its subsidiaries or those of the subcontractors or suppliers with whom they have an established business relationship.
VINCI’s duty of vigilance plan encompasses all entities controlled by VINCI as defined in Article L.233-3 of the French Commercial Code. It builds on the commitments in the VINCI Manifesto, the Code of Ethics and Conduct and, more broadly, Group policies that help prevent risks to people and the environment by promoting vigilance measures in the three areas covered by the duty of vigilance law.
The Ethics and Vigilance Committee regularly monitors execution of the duty of vigilance plan. This seven-member committee includes five Executive Committee members and is responsible for implementing and updating compliance systems covered by the Code of Ethics and Conduct, notably concerning the fight against corruption and the prevention of severe impacts on human rights and fundamental freedoms, on people’s health and safety and on the environment, resulting from the Group’s business activities. The committee meets at least once every quarter. In 2022, it met four times. It reports annually on its activity to the Board of Directors’ Strategy and CSR Committee.
4.1 The Group’s organisation, business activities and value chain
Due to the very nature and diversity of its businesses and activities, VINCI is first and foremost a multi-local Group. Regardless of whether its companies develop construction projects or infrastructure concessions, they are locally based operations and produce locally with mainly local management, partners and staff, for local use in local conditions. VINCI is made up of a network of companies, often small or medium-sized, that have long-established roots in their operating regions and that strive to contribute positively to their development.
At 31 December 2022
1 737 companies, of which 66 % have fewer than 100 employees
314 000 worksites and projects in 2022
271 648 staff worldwide in more than 120 countries
71,4 % Europe
17,4 % Americas
5,5 % Africa
3,7 % Asia and
the Middle East
1,9 % Oceania
82,3 % in OECD countries
Companies in the Group frequently undertake project-based work. This means that they provide services over periods ranging from a few weeks to a few years, for projects of varying sizes and natures. They work with a variety of partners, service providers and subcontractors, also for varying periods of time. The projects they work on can involve anywhere from a few to a few thousand workers, in different geographical areas. Sometimes the Group’s companies are the subcontracting companies, but just as often they are subcontractors themselves. In either case, they depend on and must answer to customers with widely ranging requirements and priorities regarding environmental, employment and social issues. They work in continually changing environments, with each project having its own ecosystem. Any action taken must be targeted and adapted to address the project’s specific operational, social and environmental issues.
Another feature of the Group’s Construction, Energy and Concessions businesses is the fact that operations are often highly integrated, meaning that a significant portion of the supply chain operates on VINCI sites. Subcontractors and temporary workers of all levels work directly alongside the Group’s teams at its construction and operation sites. Due to this situation, the subcontractor supply chain is closely monitored and subject to the same rules as the direct workers. Given the cyclical nature of the Group’s business activities, subcontractors and temporary employment agencies fulfil an essential role and account for a significantly high volume of purchases. Accordingly, they have been given a high priority among the areas for improvement addressed in VINCI’s duty of vigilance plan. The Group’s other purchases (the main categories of which include materials, such as concrete and bitumen, and purchased or leased worksite equipment) are also, by nature, mainly local and often part of a short supply chain. They are gradually being incorporated into the Group’s duty of vigilance plan (see paragraph 2.2, “Relations with suppliers and subcontractors”, page 214).
34 %of purchases are for subcontracting services