In March 2024, WorldCrunch released an article describing exploitative working conditions for undocumented migrant workers building Olympic infrastructure in Paris.

One worker interviewed in the article, who is an undocumented worker from Mali, says he works ‘outside’ French labour laws and is deprived of his labour rights. The worker has been renovating the Pleyel Tower, allegedly working for a French-Turkish company subcontracted by GCC Groupe. The worker says he experienced poor working conditions, including unpaid overtime until 11pm, denial of paid leave, having to pay for his own personal protective equipment, no compensation from health insurance after being injured at work, having no contract, and not having access to benefits “common to others in France”, such as “transportation and food allowances”.

The article highlights how subcontracting in the construction sector makes exploitation possible. It says companies at the bottom of supply chains employ undocumented workers to avoid financial obligations in official job contracts. The authors suggest subcontracting allows companies at the top of supply chains to evade responsibility for the employment of undocumented workers further down. It suggests Eiffage and Spie Batignolles have used this strategy in response to media outlets.

In March 2024, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Groupe GCC, Eiffage and Spie Batignolles to respond to the article and to outline any human rights due diligence they undertake prior to entering into contracts with suppliers and when monitoring working conditions at suppliers, including working conditions for undocumented workers. Eiffage's response can be read in full below. Groupe GCC and Spie Batignolles did not respond.