A Human Rights Steering Committee, comprised of the human resources directors of all business lines and divisions, was set up at the end of 2015 to undertake the extensive work required to identify the Group’s major risks. Employee consultations and discussion forums were held, at which representatives of organisations or companies outside the Group sometimes participated to share their experience. The steering committee also took into account international standards, specialist research, guidelines and previous work produced by the Group (such as its handbook on fundamental social rights or standards for workers’ accommodation).
This analysis of risks and issues was also informed by the human rights impact assessment commissioned by VINCI in Qatar and carried out by an independent third party, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), in 2015. The methodology used for the impact assessment was to identify, in the different sets of codified rights, those issues that were salient to the Group’s activities. Interviews were held with key VINCI stakeholders, such as the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH), the Danish Institute for Human Rights, and non-governmental organisations having worked on human rights issues in that region (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Engineers Against Poverty, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, etc.).
In 2016, the Human Rights Steering Committee validated five salient issues, broken down into 17 specific themes. They describe areas where VINCI’s activities can have a significant impact on human rights, which include those of employees, subcontractors, temporary workers, local residents and local communities. Since their publication, the relevance of the salient issues identified has been confirmed by various Group entities and validated by feedback from operational teams in different countries. Likewise, dialogue with members of the European Works Council has not led to any change in the risk map to date.
| Salient issues | Description | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Labour migration and recruitment practices | 1. Labour migration and recruitment practices Description In the course of their activities, VINCI companies may recruit migrant workers, whether directly or through temporary employment agencies. The situation of these migrant workers can reflect a range of scenarios, depending on the conditions of their migration. Due to varying recruitment practices and national legislation on migration, risks of serious breaches of the rights of migrant workers, such as the risk of forced labour, might arise. |
1. Labour migration and recruitment practices Themes 1. Recruitment fees and debts 2. Contract substitution3. Work permit, ID, visa, passport and exit permit |
| 2. Working conditions | 2. Working conditions Description This issue relates to potential breaches of fundamental employment rights that could result from a lack of vigilance concerning working conditions, such as wages and their payment, number of hours worked, paid holidays and employment benefits, and restrictions to freedom of association. Given the nature of the Group’s activities, employee health and safety is a separate important issue, which has been specifically addressed by the Group and its various entities for many years now. |
2. Working conditions Themes 4. Wage levels 5. Working hours6. Paid holidays and other benefits 7. Workers representation8. Hiring underage workers 9. Discrimination 10. Occupational health and safety11. Worksite security |
| 3. Living conditions | 3. Living conditions Description Group companies may supply accommodation to workers, due to the size, location or mobile nature of certain projects or worksites. In these cases, employers must ensure that the living conditions provided to workers guarantee their physical security and safety and satisfy their fundamental needs. |
3. Living conditions Themes 12. Labour community standards on accommodation: health, safety and security 13. Freedom of movement, consultation, and grievance mechanism |
| 4. Human rights practices in the value chain | 4. Human rights practices in the value chain Description This issue concerns the monitoring of subcontractors and the living and working conditions of their employees or temporary staff on sites. VINCI considers that its challenges and those faced by its subcontractors are identical. It pays special attention to health and safety issues. |
4. Human rights practices in the value chain Themes 14. Recruitment practices, working and living conditions of subcontractor employees and temporary staff, and management of labour-related risks in the supply chain |
| 5. Local communities | 5. Local communities Description Construction and infrastructure operation projects can impact local communities and nearby residents. Customers, concession holders and construction companies all share responsibilities and must work in close collaboration to identify, avoid or mitigate the impacts. |
5. Local communities Themes 15. Socio-environmental issues 16. Land-related issues 17. Community dialogue, engagement, and grievance mechanisms |
