Our impact on people is central to our businesses. Transforming mobility also means working with and within regions by including fragile communities and developing all forms of potential.
Each new concession or project is, first and foremost, a new adventure for people. By establishing itself in a region, VINCI Concessions prioritises direct and indirect local employment and commits to the development and employability of local people, as well as support for entrepreneurs and communities’ economic inclusion.
That’s why London Gatwick in the UK has, through its “Decade of Change” road map, pledged to employ at least 55% its workforce from the local area, with a target of 65% for 2030. Meanwhile, in Colombia, 48% of the workers on the Vía Sumapaz worksite in 2023 were locals. And in Greece, 83% of Olympia Odos employees come from local communities situated along the highway.
Within the areas that they influence, concessions also play a role showcasing local economic activity, acting as a catalyst for employment and injecting momentum into the potential of entrepreneurs from vulnerable local communities. In Colombia, productive projects created along the route of Vía Sumapaz led to support for more than 400 new initiatives. In France, Aéroports du Grand Ouest took part in Startup Innovation Day in 2023 and gave the corporate social responsibility (CSR) award to a start-up, Handi-Gaspi, that works with a local sheltered workshop. Promoting equal opportunities and inclusion is also a priority. This year, to mark International Women’s Day, the NGO Happy Chandara brought 25 schoolgirls to visit airports in Cambodia, where they got to meet the airports’ female managers and take part in a debate over lunch with female speakers. In France, Aéroports du Grand Ouest welcomed 140 students aged 14 to 15 to discover airport careers as part of the “Give Me Five” programme. And London Gatwick achieved its diversity objective in 2023 by recruiting male and female apprentices.
By developing its infrastructure, VINCI Concessions also acts all over the world to support and promote the role of women in society and business, including through the Ellevate internal mentoring programme (see overleaf). In Peru, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Lima Expresa once more joined forces with the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations to promote a campaign against gender-based violence. And in France, MESEA has supported the “Elles Bougent” association since 2019, while Aéroports de Lyon launched the AD’ELLES programme this year – a group of highly qualifi ed women proposing initiatives in strategic areas.
