The Group mobilises internal and external sources of environmental engineering expertise to offset its residual impacts on species. Specific ecological restoration measures are taken only after all possible reduction strategies have been applied.
Since 2019, the Group has published a practical guide on responsible purchasing. It clarifies that the sourcing of innovative solutions to protect the environment, fight climate change and achieve the energy transition is an integral part of the Group’s responsible purchasing. At the end of October 2021, an introductory course on responsible purchasing was made available to all employees as an e-learning module, to help them absorb the content of the guide. At 31 December 2023, more than 4,100 employees had completed it. A more advanced course for Group purchasing roles was developed in 2021 and completed by 200 employees by the end of December 2023. Due to the growing demand for skills development in sustainability and to ensure that the advanced course remains relevant, the Group is currently updating its content for rollout in 2024. More details on the Group’s responsible purchasing training are provided in paragraph 2.2.3, “Taking social and environmental criteria into account in the Group’s purchases”, page 217.
In 2022, VINCI mapped social and environmental risks specific to key purchasing categories for the Group’s five main divisions in France (VINCI Construction’s Road France, Networks France, Building France and Civil Engineering France divisions, VINCI Energies France, VINCI Autoroutes and VINCI Airports), with the assistance of an external partner. This risk map expands on the environmental risk map established for the Group’s activities in 2019, which assessed the materiality of each purchasing category with respect to social and environmental impacts.
As described in paragraph 2.2.3, “Taking social and environmental criteria into account in the Group’s purchases” (page 217), this mapping process helped to identify the main social and environmental risk factors for some 60 strategic purchasing categories, which can be grouped into 27 broader categories. Types of purchases that were found to be associated with a particularly high degree of CSR risk and criticality for certain divisions include subcontracting for rebar installation, waste collection and treatment services, and cable supplies. At the end of 2023, three pilot working groups, one for each of the three targeted purchasing categories, were set up, involving the Group and the relevant divisions: VINCI Energies in France (for cables) and VINCI Construction’s Building France and Civil Engineering France divisions (for subcontracting and waste). Their aim is to refine the risk mapping process by conducting a detailed CSR risk analysis for the main suppliers of the targeted goods and services, using a methodology that can then be replicated for all of the mapped purchasing categories. Using the CSR analysis, a specific road map can be drawn up for each purchasing category, adapting the actions to be taken and the resources to be allocated in line with each supplier’s CSR risk exposure level. The strategy adopted for each business area may range from carrying out a new analysis of the inherent risks for this category and its supply chain, to further strengthening the sustainability assessments in order to better measure how suppliers will be able to address the risks identified, as well as establishing structured, in depth dialogue on these issues with suppliers, in order to gain more insights into the supply chain and improve prevention measures in place. Discussions have been initiated with certain strategic suppliers (for example, for fuel, equipment leasing and concrete) and will continue, with a view to reducing the Group’s Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. With respect to wood, VINCI companies specialising in timber-frame construction source a very large majority of their wood (over 90%) from PEFC or FSC certified sustainably managed forests. In 2023, VINCI also completed its fourth CDP Forests assessment and received the score of C (“Awareness” level), recognising the Group’s efforts in this area.
100%
of framework contracts signed by the Group Purchasing Coordination unit included one or several environmental criteria in 2023
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 then shared with the top management of the relevant company.
In 2023, five 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, as well as cases of destruction of a protected habitat or a wetland outside the area covered by an authorisation. For example, at a VINCI Autoroutes worksite, undergrowth was cleared outside the worksite’s perimeter, causing damage to a wetland. Corrective measures were immediately taken to protect the wetland from further damage. Ecologists inspected the site to assess the impact, an environmental incident report was filed, and the appropriate government agencies were notified. Discussion is still ongoing to agree on the offsetting measures to be taken.
