Reduce factors driving natural habitat loss at concessions
Operators of linear infrastructure concessions are concerned with limiting the fragmentation of natural habitats during operations as well as construction work and reducing land use.
Their efforts focus on the ecological transparency of their infrastructure, the reversibility of barriers, and the restoration of sensitive environments and ecological connectivity. This includes building and restoring wildlife crossings, making improvements to hydraulic structures, restoring and enhancing sites of ecological interest, seeding and replanting slopes, sustainable roadside grass mowing, and so on. As they design and operate infrastructure over the long term, concession companies can develop expertise and use their networks under concession for field surveys and educational initiatives.
A voluntary rehabilitation programme that began in 2010 to restore ecological continuity on the network was completed in 2024. The programme mainly included the construction of 203 structures on the motorways under operation to enhance their ecological transparency for wildlife: overpasses (wildlife crossings over 15 metres in width, including structures for small and large animals that reproduce in the restored habitats), tunnels, benches and ledges for hydraulic structures, fish passages and one bat gantry. Also part of the programme were structures created for new projects and expansions.
Among its targets for 2030, VINCI Autoroutes aims to apply extensive management systems to 100% of its motorway network, and to carry out 200 land rehabilitation projects (500 hectares by 2030), under a partnership with the French National Forest Office (ONF), along the land under concession.
After the signing of the Buckingham Declaration in May 2023, airports in the VINCI Airports network took steps to implement its commitments by rolling out programmes to fight wildlife trafficking.
Reduce factors driving loss of natural environments at quarries
VINCI Construction expects all of its quarries to have a voluntary biodiversity or water preservation action plan in place by 2030.
The implementation of advanced biodiversity preservation measures is a firmly established practice at quarry sites. As regulations require them to rehabilitate sites after operation is complete, quarries have acquired extensive ecological expertise, especially in environment dynamics. Actions have begun to be implemented voluntarily during the quarrying phase so that species and operating quarries can coexist. Working with local nature protection organisations, operators sometimes discontinue work in specific areas during nesting periods or add elements to their sites to prevent wildlife from entering quarrying areas (e.g. fences).
Ecological management measures are taken in prairie areas to avoid mowing or to implement grazing strategies, which limit the impact of mowing on species. Some sites apply ecological engineering to recreate ponds or rock piles, which provide excellent habitats for animals. It is also worth noting that these initiatives are implemented over the long term during the operation of these sites. Measures and their effectiveness can therefore be monitored, which is often carried out voluntarily with conservation organisations.
Reduce factors driving natural habitat loss at worksites
VINCI Construction companies identify priority issues and apply the avoid, reduce, compensate hierarchy when responding to calls for tender. Solutions are then defined to adapt to the worksite, and, if possible, more efficient alternatives can also be put forward to customers.
VINCI Construction companies consider the potential effects of a project on biodiversity and take steps to avoid negative impacts (for example, by modifying worksite access routes to avoid crossing sensitive areas, adapting timetables to species, relocating fish and plants, etc.). Other adjustments to working methods to reduce the impacts of worksites on wildlife and natural environments include diverting waterways, marking out worksite areas according to species, creating retention ponds and fighting invasive alien species.
Concession companies include biodiversity preservation standards in their works contracts.
VINCI Energies implements measures adapted to the ecological issues of its worksites. In the United States, Chain Electric Company reduced the impact of its work in a plant-rich wetland by choosing adapted equipment (barge-mounted cranes, hovercraft, air mats, etc.).
Resources factor
An assessment carried out in 2024 on the Group’s value chain showed that VINCI takes two main resources from natural environments. The first is wood used in construction activities, especially in building (see paragraph 2.3.2.1, “Promoting the use of construction techniques and materials that economise on natural resources”, page 219). To guarantee resource traceability and avoid the risk for VINCI of using wood from areas with tree cover loss due to deforestation, the Building France Division (VINCI Construction) collaborates with its suppliers to locally source certified wood. It set the target to purchase 100% PEFC- or FSC-certified wood by 2030. 2025 will see the rollout of the first steps taken to achieve this target, such as meetings with the main labelling and certification organisations and the stakeholders concerned (sawmills, suppliers, forest owners, etc.). The percentage of certified-origin wood consumed in 2024 is provided in paragraph 2.6.3, “Performance monitoring”, page 235.
The second is water, which is used by Group entities in their processes (see paragraph 2.5, “Preserving natural environments – Water (ESRS E3)”, page 226). Other types of resources and their uses are detailed in paragraph 2.3, “Optimising resources thanks to the circular economy (ESRS E5)”, page 218.
