“The world continues to be dynamic and demands agility. We are ready and prepared for changes with our unique organisational model of business units and with the diversity of our activities.”

Global developments

Last year we were faced with the aftermath of a number of crises: the Covid crisis and a war. In 2020, Covid caused a supply-chain crisis that hit our business units too. Delivery periods stabilised to a near-normal level throughout 2023. The war produced an energy crisis that hit us and our clients. Some clients invested less as a result of the high energy costs. Inflation also impacted our markets in 2023. Particularly in Building Solutions, where the project developers are much more reticent about major projects. At the same time, we can identify many opportunities for us in other areas, such as renewing and expanding the grid, and the growth of wind and solar power. Our order books are nicely full, which is a great way to start 2024.

Even so, the world continues to be dynamic and demands agility. We are ready and prepared for changes with our unique organisational model of business units and with the diversity of our activities. We have a good mix that enables us to respond to what is happening now and to what may happen. We focus on different markets, and on short-term and long-term trends. Our business units also respond independently and quickly to changes as required. We are positive about the coming year, notwithstanding the many challenges.

“Inside and outside the Netherlands there is a large amount of investment in the energy transition, and consequently in the grid. The digital transformation continues to accelerate. All that produces great opportunities for us over the coming years.”

Jos van Uden & Tom Greeve Managing Directors VINCI Energies NL

Energy transition, digital transformation, and sustainability

With its business lines, VINCI Energies provides services and solutions for two related themes: the energy transition and the digital transformation. Inside and outside the Netherlands there is a large amount of investment in the energy transition, and consequently in the grid. The digital transformation continues to accelerate. All that produces great opportunities for us over the coming years. Sustainability becomes increasingly important in both themes. Clients have to make choices.

“Our business units are small scale, our culture is quite distinctive, and both help to bind and fascinate people. We are a multinational but consist of smaller businesses with a human dimension. People feel at home with us.”

Jos van Uden & Tom Greeve Managing Directors VINCI Energies NL

Attract, fascinate, and bind

In 2023, the labour market again faced a shortage of qualified technical people. Our business units have to deal with that. Attracting new employees continues to be a major challenge. Our decentralised model and the small-scale nature of our business units contributes to binding and fascinating people. We strive for diversity and encourage inclusion. Everyone is welcome and will be given a chance to develop themselves within our organisation, personally and professionally. Our distinctive culture makes a difference. People feel at home with us.

To deal with shortages in specialists, we have started business schools for young people and those who change careers, we have a young professionals programme for our ICT business line for generic functions, and there is a set-up for technical trainees. We also use qualified people from abroad. Our inflow still exceeds our outflow. In other words, we achieved organic growth.

“VINCI Energies continues to focus on growth. Organic growth via our business units, and we encourage them to keep developing. External growth through acquisitions.”

Jos van Uden & Tom Greeve Managing Directors VINCI Energies NL

Acquire and integrate

VINCI Energies continues to focus on growth. Organic growth via our business units, and we encourage them to keep developing. External growth through acquisitions. That is another way of expanding our capacity and acquiring talent. In 2022, we acquired more businesses than in 2023. In 2023, there were two: Kenmerc and Opal. That was a conscious choice. 2023 was a year to really integrated the seven companies we acquired in 2022.

Acquisitions are also an opportunity for existing and new employees to develop and grow. Our VINCI-Energies-Academy.nl has an important role to play in that process. It offers a leadership programme, for example, because growth demands a sufficient number of talented future leaders.

“In 2023, EcoVadis awarded us once more with a platinum rating for sustainability in the broadest sense of the word. That puts us in the top.”

Jos van Uden & Tom Greeve Managing Directors VINCI Energies NL

Sustainability inside and outside the chain

Sustainability plays a more and more prominent role in our strategy and in what the market and society demand and expect from us. That is why we have made some significant investments. In 2023, EcoVadis awarded us once more with a platinum rating for sustainability in the broadest sense of the word. That puts us with the top of our peers in the Netherlands. It is also a nice step towards new European legislation, which involves an obligation to perform to the best of your ability for the entire chain. With the VINCI Foundation NL, we and our employees have supported social organisations with achieving sustainable projects to give more people access to the labour market. We continue to look at how we can play a bigger role in sustainability inside and outside the chain.