Discussions have been initiated with certain strategic suppliers (for example, for fuel, equipment leasing and concrete) with a view to reducing Scope 3 emissions.
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.
In 2022, 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, VINCI companies specialising in timber-frame construction source a very large majority of their wood (over 80%) from PEFC- or FSC-certified sustainably managed forests. In 2022, VINCI also completed its third CDP Forests assessment and received the score of C, which recognises the Group’s awareness of deforestation and forest degradation risks and best practices.
100% of framework contracts signed by the Group Purchasing Coordination unit included one or several environmental criteria in 2022
VINCI has set up a dedicated online solution enabling whistleblowers to report 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.
In 2022, six environmental incidents involving a VINCI subsidiary or one of its subcontractors were identified. These included cases of pollution requiring the intervention of an external specialist and whose consequences extended beyond the boundaries of the originating entity or worksite. The majority of incidents reported in 2022 were oil leaks from machinery (for example, due to a ruptured hose) and accidental release of pollutants (bentonite and concrete residue). The teams rapidly took the appropriate actions to avoid further spread into the environment and cleaned up the site as needed (evacuation of contaminated soil, installation of containment barriers, soil analysis, etc.). For example, an ETF machine leaked a significant 1,500 litres of hydraulic oil at a rail worksite between Vierzon et Tours. The operators immediately applied absorbent material and removed the contaminated ballast for treatment at a specialised facility. The local authorities and the customer were alerted. A root cause analysis was then conducted and preventive measures introduced for similar machinery used at the site.
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), the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (see the cross-reference table, page 401) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board framework (see the cross-reference table, page 402). 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. These goals are regularly reviewed by VINCI’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
99% of Group revenue covered by environmental reporting
