Together!
Speeding up inclusion!

For the past three years, my team and I have been organising site visits for teenage girls from underprivileged neighbourhoods. I find it rewarding to open up perspectives on different careers for these young women, to observe their eagerness to learn and engage with colleagues on-site, and to serve as a role model, encouraging them to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) training.

One key action I’ve taken as part of my commitment to diversity and inclusion is the implementation of the ‘My Time’ initiative. This program was designed to foster a work culture that values flexibility and supports diverse needs. By creating an environment where team members can openly discuss and accommodate their flexible work requirements, we’ve made significant strides in improving work-life balance and inclusion. The impact is evident, with women now making up 31% of the Mulgoa Road Upgrade project team, well above the industry average.

A year ago, I created the Zebras community to raise awareness of cognitive diversity among employees. I wanted to help atypical individuals recognise their strengths and show them that they are not alone. I also wanted to raise awareness among managers and HR to better understand, welcome and work with them so that they can realise their full potential.

Originally from Bulgaria, I chose to make France my homeland. I believe in work as a driver of integration, a creator of social bonds and identity. Rather than seeing the social integration clauses on our sites—which in France require companies to hire individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds—as constraints, we view them as an opportunity for alternative recruitment.

My involvement with the association ‘Elles Bougent’ has been a deeply rewarding experience. Through our initiatives, many schoolgirls have been able to discover career opportunities they might not have considered otherwise. I am proud to contribute to promoting diversity and equal opportunities in the traditionally male-dominated construction sector

For the past ten years, I have had the pleasure of presiding over the TRAJEO’H IDF association, whose mission is to ensure the employability of employees with disabilities due to an accident, occupational illness, or life circumstance. The collective image of a person with a disability is typically that of a wheelchair. However, today, 80% of working people with disabilities have an invisible disability. Awareness-raising initiatives are therefore still necessary. Watching attitudes shift within our companies is a true source of satisfaction.

I am the manager of the ISSA programme, Sogea-Satom Initiatives for Africa. Through ISSA, local communities around our construction sites benefit from funding that helps to improve their living conditions. Beyond project funding, the core of ISSA is about creating connections between our employees and local populations through skills-based volunteering. Every day, I contribute to changing the lives of many people on the continent: active women, underprivileged children, young entrepreneurs, and more. There’s nothing more rewarding!

I joined the ‘Women in Major Projects’ committee initiated within my company because I was keen to get involved in this area and develop my own understanding of the challenges related to gender diversity and how to address them within the company. Every day, I make a particular effort to ensure that my actions, attitudes, and decisions provide equal opportunities for everyone.

As the disability officer, I am committed to implementing a proactive inclusion policy. While our employment rate for people with disabilities was at 2.7% in 2019 at Dodin Campenon Bernard, we reached 7% in 2023, with 38 employees with disabilities, some of whom benefit from specific adjustments to work in optimal conditions. It’s important to note that 85% of these disabilities are invisible, which strengthens our commitment to supporting all our teams, whether in the office or on-site. Recognising and disclosing a disability can be challenging, which is why we are here to listen, support, and provide them with a compassionate work environment tailored to their needs.

As chairwoman of the board of directors of the VINCI Foundation in the Czech Republic, I connect applicant organizations and employees of the VINCI Construction Group, who become patrons of selected organizations. The benefit of cooperation is two-way, as employees can come out of their stereotype and meet a completely different world and different problems than they normally solve within their work content. The patron of this project organized a work afternoon together with clients and colleagues from work helped to plant trees.. This work is very meaningful and rewarding for me personally. I like that we don’t only help financially, but, if possible, we also offer personal experience and knowledge or our free time.

Today, this is not just a matter of ethics but an integral part of business strategy. That is why we decided to join the signatories of the Diversity Charter and implement diversity policies in VINCI Construction companies in Poland. We also actively participate in initiatives supporting the development of women in STEM fields.

I think the UK strapline ‘Fairness, Inclusion, Respect’ (FIR) truly captures what matters to me: being treated fairly, feeling included, and respected for who we are. I haven’t always been open about my sexuality or dyslexia, but I believe sharing stories and creating safe spaces for questions, free of judgment, is essential. In a previous role, I engaged in reverse mentoring with a sirector to help him understand the LGBTQ+ experience within that organisation, which proved valuable for both of us.