At VINCI Construction, a system to promote dialogue was set up in 2024. An application, MonChantier, was rolled out at The Link in La Défense and then at several other worksites, including a housing programme in Morangis. At housing programme worksites, information meetings for local residents were held, in collaboration with customers and social housing organisations, and a reception office was opened to respond to questions from renters. At a large majority of the West delegation worksites of VINCI Construction’s Civil Engineering France Division, advanced measures have been taken to consult with local communities and residents. This was the case in 2024 for the Anne-de- Bretagne bridge in Nantes, foundations for wind turbines, the installation of acoustic screens at Porte de Gesvres near Nantes, and the Inelfe worksites (electricity interconnection between France and Spain). At Sogea-Satom in Africa, social mediators participate in consultations with local communities, beginning at the design phase for projects, to identify in advance any obstacles relating to the displacement of cultural or spiritual heritage assets or social infrastructure. For large worksites, a grievance committee is formed to gather feedback from nearby residents. Meetings with the management committee are held on a regular basis to discuss and resolve each complaint individually. For each problem, actions are planned and carried out until the parties are satisfied.
In Australia, Seymour Whyte (VINCI Construction) has set up a community engagement and stakeholder management plan to ensure effective communication and collaboration during projects. A centralised register of consultations is kept to help quickly address stakeholder grievances and concerns. The register makes it possible to quickly recognise and respond to concerns, carry out further investigations, roll out corrective action, maintain open communication throughout the process and monitor trends to continuously improve construction practices.
Grievances from local residents are monitored independently at the level of the Group worksites (see paragraph 2.4.2.2, “Actions to prevent environmental pollution and incidents”, page 225). In 2024, no major environmental incidents were reported concerning negative impacts due to light or noise pollution or vibrations.
Method used to identify material impacts, risks and opportunities related to water
During the process of identifying material IROs (see section 1, “General information”, page 188), specific analyses were performed, focusing on water resources. Water consumption corresponding to water used to produce concrete and not returned to the natural environment was shown to be a non-material issue for the Group. The Group’s sites and activities withdrawing significant volumes of water have been identified using the LEAP method (Locate, Evaluate, Assess, Prepare) developed by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). This involves the Group’s fixed sites, i.e. those operated by entities in the Concessions business and the quarries (dewatering water management). Analysis data from the Aqueduct tool developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) was used and was also incorporated into ResiLens (see paragraph 2.2.1.3, “Climate change adaptation”, page 214), an internal tool for assessing vulnerability based on IPCC scenarios, to specifically identify sites located in areas exposed to water risks (such as water stress).
Any financial impacts, controversies or disputes involving VINCI and water resources were also reviewed. The viewpoint of the main stakeholders concerned, identified below, were taken into account in assessing IROs.
Material IROs related to water issues
| Identification of material impacts, risks and opportunities | Businesses concerned | Position in the value chain and on the time horizon | Stakeholders concerned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water withdrawals and water consumption | |||
|
Negative impact: degradation of natural environments related to water withdrawals Consequences for biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems of modifications to river levels, aquifers, and natural environments, related to water withdrawals for operations at the Group’s fixed sites |
Negative impact: degradation of natural environments related to water withdrawals Consequences for biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems of modifications to river levels, aquifers, and natural environments, related to water withdrawals for operations at the Group’s fixed sites Businesses concerned
|
Negative impact: degradation of natural environments related to water withdrawals Consequences for biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems of modifications to river levels, aquifers, and natural environments, related to water withdrawals for operations at the Group’s fixed sites Position in the value chain and on the time horizon
|
Negative impact: degradation of natural environments related to water withdrawals Consequences for biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems of modifications to river levels, aquifers, and natural environments, related to water withdrawals for operations at the Group’s fixed sites Stakeholders concerned Nature |
Policies for conserving water resources
As part of its environmental ambition, VINCI implements policies to conserve water resources throughout its value chain, especially in areas of water stress, and sets targets for business lines to optimise withdrawals, collect and reuse water (in particular by creating closed water loops), and implement water saving technologies. These targets are set as a voluntary initiative. Implementing Group policies to conserve water resources is an integral part of VINCI’s environmental ambition and falls under the responsibility of the Group’s Vice-President for the Environment.
Specific business line policies
In the fall of 2024, the Road France Division of VINCI Construction published its water plan, which is supported by the division’s management committee and covers its construction, materials and industrial activities. The plan’s primary goal is to achieve water independence for the division’s production facilities, works agencies and worksites. The main levers for action are fighting waste and replacing tap water with rainwater for some purposes. The other business lines have aligned their water conservation policies with that of the Group.
In response to the increasing scarcity of water resources, especially in areas of water stress, VINCI’s action plan covers a range of initiatives: measuring water withdrawals and detecting leaks, adapting infrastructure to reduce its water needs, determining degraded modes of operation in the event of a shortage, and creating closed water loops. The Group also develops solutions to help customers address their own water issues.
