VINCI has been working in Qatar via QDVC since 2007 and employs 3,500 people in the country. We have repeatedly welcomed unions, international NGOs and journalists onto our building sites...All QDVC employees are free to retrieve their passports at any time, and we strictly observe working hours and rest time.VINCI strives to improve employee working and living conditions throughout the world. This is the case in Qatar, where we have built new housing facilities at the beginning of this year in order to provide our workers with better living conditions...We are therefore appalled by the accusations against us and have decided to:

     - file a lawsuit against Sherpa, whose slanderous allegations constitute a serious attack on our image;
     - invite Sherpa representatives, and any journalists who so wish, to visit our building sites and living quarters in order to inspect working and living conditions first-hand, at their earliest convenience.

VINCI has been a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact since 2003. Under this compact, businesses commit to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.