Success story of the day: Eiffage Group

Business

Story featured in the Made in Countdown 2010 publication

Action

Eiffage built the first highway in Europe fully considering biodiversity and respecting reinforced offsetting measures outlined in the new French laws – the A65 motorway in the region of Aquitaine in the South-West of France. To share its knowledge and experience on the building of the motorway, Eiffage – a leading figure in the European concessions and public works sector – has designed a special strategic programme. The programme has had a set of concrete actions to halt the loss of biodiversity. Firstly, the company produced its Biodiversity Guidelines and distributed them to the 500 entities of the Group. Secondly, Eiffage created the Biodiversity Pack to guide staff in tender proposals and homogenise the approach of the Group and its best practices. The company has also launched the first Post-Master’s Programme on interactions between biodiversity, the environment and linear infrastructure in collaboration with the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. To raise awareness among all employees, a biodiversity challenge and a picture competition have been organised within the Group. Eiffage participates in the European Business and Biodiversity Campaign to share its knowledge.

Before In the building and public works area, biodiversity was considered a constraint rather than a vital issue to seriously take into account. Awareness of biodiversity was not homogeneous within the Eiffage Group. Biodiversity experts were scarce and very scattered within the Group – they were hired in order to answer punctual needs, and often the competence was just externalised.

Now Biodiversity is systematically taken into account in the company’s operations at a global level. Eiffage and all its employees are fully aware of their impact on biodiversity. The company has promoted its best practices on biodiversity not only to its employees, but also to young students coming from universities or local authorities. Eiffage has become a biodiversity leader in its sector, enabling the Group to make a real difference. Instead of being considered as a constraint, biodiversity is now fully integrated in the company’s offers, and it has become a competitive advantage.

• Eiffage
• www.eiffage.com
• Poster on the Eiffage’s biodiversity guidelines (pdf)
• Eiffage and biodiversity (in French)
• Eiffage Report of the Sustainable Development 2009 (pdf in French)
• Eiffage calendar for the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity

Photo: A65 ecological engineering: stream banks and meanders re-creation, France © Eiffage

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