Very early on in the Group’s human rights approach, subcontracting, on-site services and temporary employment agencies were identified as priority purchasing categories. Combined, these three purchasing categories account for half of the Group’s total purchases and are strategic for VINCI. While subcontracting and temporary employment companies, which are often directly involved alongside Group companies at its worksites and operating sites, are already subject to extensive checks, they are considered to be intrinsically exposed to social risks.
In a first phase, the Group provided all of its entities with a due diligence methodology that includes the following steps: mapping human rights risks for subcontractors and service providers, applying specific criteria during the selection phase, including specific clauses in contracts and monitoring compliance with contractual obligations.
At the same time, a specific approach for managing social risks in subcontracting was launched in France, the Group’s largest market, which accounts for around 30% of all purchases. It tested the due diligence methodology and enabled the tools to be adapted to the Group’s organisation and business sectors. In addition to supporting the subsidiaries concerned, this initiative paved the way for a social component to be included in a subcontractor approval tool and the development of a methodology and scorecard for social audits of subcontractors and providers, tailored to the Group’s business activities. These audits cover a range of factors, including working conditions (recruitment conditions, working hours, remuneration, etc.) and compliance with health and safety rules, such as wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
An in-house training program has also been developed on how to conduct social audits of subcontractors and worker interviews, primarily for the human resources, social affairs and legal teams. To date, more than 250 in-house auditors in France have completed this training. The next step, which is already underway, involves supporting subsidiaries outside France as they implement these same measures. For further details, see “Preventing social risks and illegal work in subcontracting” in paragraph 3.3.3.2, “Specific vigilance measures to fight forced labour and illegal work”, of chapter F, “Duty of vigilance plan”, page 313.
When assessing performance by subsidiaries in terms of managing human rights risks, particularly in the Group’s operations outside France, part of the assessment looks at the extent to which subsidiaries are aware of the working and employment conditions of subcontractor employees (and temporary workers) who work alongside them. The tool also enables them to evaluate how they manage social risks in subcontracting and temporary employment. These assessments are often accompanied by interviews with both workers and representatives from the subcontractors or providers. When required, action plans are drawn up based on the findings from these assessments.
In 2026, VINCI will roll out a toolkit enabling the tools developed by the Group and business lines to be centralised and shared with all employees, including assessment questionnaires, sample criteria, a guide for drafting specific clauses adapted to the risks identified and the types of services, standard clauses and a social audit scorecard for subcontracting, as well as a semi-automated social and environmental risk mapping support tool. Considering the Group’s decentralised organisation and the specific features of each business, their implementation will be led by each business line and each company.
Lastly, VINCI has long been committed to the fight against forced labour. Various actions are carried out, as presented in detail in paragraph 3.3.3.2, “Specific vigilance measures to fight forced labour and illegal work”, of chapter F, “Duty of vigilance plan”, page 311.
Given the characteristics of its activities, ensuring the health and safety of workers at operating sites and worksites controlled by Group companies, whatever their status, is the priority. That is why the objective to achieve zero accidents, set out in the VINCI Manifesto, applies to all people—employees, temporary workers or subcontractor staff—working on the Group’s construction or operating sites. Similarly, the Declaration on Essential and Fundamental Actions Concerning Occupational Health and Safety, issued jointly by VINCI and its European Works Council, is also aimed at external companies and includes provisions for them to receive support if needed.
The established procedures at a construction or operating site make no distinction between employees of Group companies, temporary workers and subcontractor staff. Health and safety requirements are stated in advance, included in specific contract clauses and verified by Group companies. They range from wearing suitable personal protective equipment to reporting accidents or any other relevant information regarding on-site hazards. Specific criteria may be applied as of the selection phase and lead to a subcontractor being disqualified. Health and safety teams analyse accidents, especially serious or potentially serious accidents, and use their findings to update action plans and create a safer environment for outside workers. All staff are included in the safety audits conducted at sites.
As a general rule, workers employed by subcontractors not only attend the health and safety events held by the Group and take part in on-site training, but also participate in discussion workshops on improving prevention at construction and operating sites. The indicators for divisions and companies increasingly incorporate subcontractors. Efforts to improve prevention go beyond verifying compliance. The Group also takes steps to help its subcontractors raise their safety standards and implement more effective actions, especially in countries where the safety culture is not as strong.
For more information about the Group’s health and safety approach, see section 2, “Duty of vigilance with regard to health and safety”, of chapter F, “Duty of vigilance plan”, pages 296 to 303.
