2013-vinci-annual-report

Eurovia also received SNB recognition for its voluntary commitment, which includes a three-year partnership with the Natural Heritage
department of the MNHN, France’s Natural History Museum. The MNHN guides Eurovia in the implementation and supervision of its SNB
project: evaluation and monitoring of the general action plan, assessment and audits of specific sites, definition of biodiversity indicators,
training and awareness. In exchange, Eurovia provides its partner with sites for study in order to develop its knowledge on biodiversity (assessments,
comparative analyses of changing environments, monitoring of the performance of structures and ecological redevelopment, etc.).
2.4.2 Measures taken to promote biodiversity
Several Group companies operating on long cycles and directly impacting natural environments – notably those involved in the concession-construction
of transport infrastructure (motorways, airports), earthworks and quarries – have been dealing with the issue of biodiversity
for many years.
Measures to avoid and reduce impacts on natural environments and to offset residual effects are developed and applied in partnership with
the stakeholders most affected, depending on the project, location, species and ecosystem. Over the past two years, VINCI has been involved
in defining national standards and guidelines on the cycle of avoiding, reducing and offsetting impacts on natural environments.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 175
In its drive to maintain a continuous hands-on approach, the Group gave special focus to defining training and awareness modules on biodiversity
issues designed for operational staff at VINCI Construction, VINCI Concessions and Eurovia. These training programmes will be
rolled out extensively from 2014.
Motorway concession operators are primarily concerned with the fragmentation of natural habitats, focusing their efforts on the transparency
of infrastructure, the reversibility of barriers and the restoration of ecological connectivity. This includes creating environmental engineering
structures, re-profiling ponds, making improvements to hydraulic structures, restoring and enhancing sites of ecological interest, redeveloping
slopes, sustainable roadside grass mowing, and so on.
In addition to these initiatives, 123 measures have been included in the biodiversity guidelines in the green motorway package. Once the
points of conflict between natural ecological connectivity and motorway infrastructure had been identified, the programme, completed in
2013, enabled a number of improvements to be made:
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construction of environment-friendly crossings for large animals, underpasses for smaller wildlife, escape areas for wild boar and ramps
for deer and similar species;
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biodiversity management plans implemented at sites of ecological interest near motorways;
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creation of protective and community-based orchards and olive groves, etc.
Wildlife crossings and fenced sections on the motorways of VINCI Autoroutes companies
2013 2012
Crossings for small and large wildlife (in number) 746 686
Fenced sections (in km) (*) 8,453 8,284
(*) 2012 data corrected to take into account the calculation method of the Association des Sociétés Françaises d’Autoroutes (association of French motorway companies).
The main issue faced by Eurovia is restoring sites throughout the life cycle of its quarries. The partnership with the French Natural History
Museum developed a methodology to analyse natural environments and study the balance of plant and animal life at each site. Using this
approach, Eurovia sites can be mapped based on their natural environment and species living there. Actions can then be determined to
conserve and provide a favourable environment for new plant and animal species.
Eurovia’s biodiversity indicators specific to quarries
2013 2012
Quarries near (*) natural and protected areas (**) 68% –
Quarries that have joined the Unicem Environment Charter (***) 74% 72%
(*) Within a 2 km radius.
(**) Natural zones of ecological, wildlife and plant life interest, Natura 2000 areas, national parks, regional natural parks, natural marine parks, regional and national nature reserves, “Conservatoire
du littoral” protected coastlines, “Conservatoires des espaces naturels” protected sites, etc.
(***) Unicem: National Union of the Quarrying and Construction Materials Industries.
In 2013 VINCI Construction Terrassement introduced an approach to develop the field of environmental engineering and defined an action
plan to standardise best practices, create solutions, develop research programmes, innovate and implement communication initiatives in
collaboration with environmental groups, ministries, engineering and design departments, scientists, etc. More than 84% of VINCI Construction
Terrassement’s worksites used the “biodiversity” signs in 2013.
At VINCI Airports, the teams at the Grand Ouest airport worksite designed an innovative methodology to offset the project’s impacts and
restore major natural functions and recreate habitats immediately next to the site. The actions planned will create and restore habitats
suitable for woodland species. This method helps to take more targeted measures on an ecosystem and its hydrologic and ecological functions
than offsetting the number of hectares and species impacted by the project.
2.4.3 Sponsorship and research and development initiatives to promote biodiversity
VINCI set up the LISEA Biodiversity Foundation at the end of 2012. With €5 million in funding for the period 2012-2017, the foundation will
help to finance local projects submitted by non-profit organisations, companies or research centres located in any of the six French
départements crossed by the rail line: Indre et Loire, Vienne, Deux Sèvres, Charente, Charente Maritime and Gironde.