30%
of temporary employment agencies did not meet the Group’s CSR criteria during the latest approval process
To be listed in France, TEAs must meet specific health and safety standards, comply with safety indicators and personal protective equipment issuance requirements, and ensure, if necessary, that their workers hold the special safety passport known as the Pasi BTP®, introduced by the construction sector in France. It is obtained after successfully completing a two-day certification course. Increasingly required on worksites, the Pasi BTP® will be a prerequisite for all temporary workers, on every assignment, by the end of 2024.
An innovative new financial incentive has been introduced to encourage TEAs to improve their safety practices. This increases agencies’ involvement in safety efforts as part of their collaboration with VINCI companies.
Safety audits carried out by VINCI’s network of health and safety specialists are foundational to its health and safety policy. These experts plan and conduct safety audits at operating sites and worksites controlled by Group companies. They also share and analyse results, monitor trends and tailor the actions to be taken within their scope. Business lines and divisions use common tools to facilitate the reporting, consolidating and sharing of information, especially audit results. The Group is also expanding cross auditing among its various companies. Since the established procedures at a construction or operating site make no distinction between employees of Group companies, subcontractors and temporary workers, audits apply to the entire site and all staff at the site. In addition to the business line and division level, risk management systems are also in place at project and site level to ensure that those measures relating to health and safety are effectively applied. Any nonconformity is followed up until it is corrected.
As an example of these audit systems in business lines and divisions, VINCI Construction Grands Projets has a dedicated audit unit within its Quality, Safety, Environment and Information Systems Department (DQSE-I). Its management committee sets an audit schedule each year, based on operational priorities and risks. VINCI Construction Grands Projets’ head office audits each project every two years, to ensure that its management system fully complies with safety requirements. These requirements reflect applicable standards (such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001), guidelines applied by VINCI, VINCI Construction and VINCI Construction Grands Projets’ head office, as well as a project’s specific contractual requirements (as defined by the safety plan, environment plan, quality plan, process map, contract, requirements of partners and other interested parties, laws and regulations in force, local standards, etc.). ISO 9001, which is a core standard for audits, also covers all aspects relating to the management, selection, monitoring and assessment of subcontractors. Upon completion of an audit, observations are shared with the heads of the relevant project and the audit report is sent to management at every level, including the general management of VINCI Construction Grands Projets. Once the audit report is received, the entity suggests actions to remedy any issues. Project managers and the audit unit share responsibility for monitoring the action plan: in general, the project’s QSE manager informs the auditor when a measure is implemented and provides evidence of its achievement. Periodic updates on progress, supporting documentation and trends are also provided.
In addition to these internal systems, audit procedures relating to health and safety at Group entities may also involve obtaining certifications, creating a need for external audits. Three VINCI Autoroutes concession companies with operations activities are ISO 45001 certified. The audits required to maintain certification provide opportunities to periodically assess the quality and maturity of various aspects and to identify strengths, opportunities for improvement and any nonconformities. The aspects covered include company policy, leadership and management engagement, employee participation, training and awareness, work preparation and organisation, risk prevention for external companies, regulatory compliance, accident management, and management of materials, equipment and products. These audits are followed internally by operational reviews in regions and a central management review, at which times corrective actions are determined and new objectives set.
Health and safety audit procedures in VINCI business lines
