Société du Grand Paris has grown across the board,
from support functions to project implementation,
and from procurement to risk management and
contract performance.
We now have the necessary resources to provide
robust oversight of project implementation, from its
technical stages to its urban challenges.
Did the Covid-19 crisis affect this recruitment
drive?
It is important to emphasise how much effort has
been put into recruitment, despite the complicated
public health situation. To be very specific,
302 employment contracts or job offers were
signed in 2020. The teams in charge of recruitment
processed more than 10,000 applications and
held 720 interviews, most of them by video call.
This meant that we were able to achieve our
objectives and the resources provided for by the law.
In 2020, Société du Grand Paris was the largest
issuer of certified green bonds in the world.
What is the significance of this in your view?
Firstly, it is a wonderful recognition of the project
and its environmental benefits, since the estimated
reduction in CO2 emissions as a result of the
Grand Paris Express is between 27 and 51 million
tonnes by 2070. It is also a clear sign that our
financing model is sound and inspires investor
confidence. Finally, our choice to focus on green and
sustainable and sustainable finance is a commitment
for us. Société du Grand Paris intends to be fully
involved in defining high-level standards for green
financing and will actively participate in the debates
and discussions on how to regulate this rapidly
developing market.
And now it has new headquarters too
Yes, at the beginning of 2020, Société du Grand Paris
moved into new premises in Saint-Denis, a stone s
throw from the worksites for the future Stade de
France station. This move, which was necessary due
to the increasing size of our workforce, provided an
opportunity to foster the collaborative and cross-
functional work that is central to Société du Grand
Paris s missions. We also chose to work in an HQE-
certified building, and we made sure that our social
and environmental requirements were reflected in the
way we use the building, by encouraging the use of
local produce in the company restaurant, for example.
The ability to provide Société du Grand Paris with
the staff necessary to manage the project was an
important issue. What is the situation today?
For several years, Société du Grand Paris was severely
constrained by employment ceilings. The Court
of Auditors report, published in January 2018,
quite rightly pointed out that the public programme
management office was undersized and that
this would have an impact on its effectiveness in
managing the project. In the wake of this, the
government decided to increase Société du Grand
Paris s headcount. This was reflected in the 2020
Finance Act by the creation of 300 new jobs.
From 236 employees in 2018, Société du Grand Paris
is expected to stabilise at around 1,000 by the end
of 2021.
"We now have the necessary resources to provide robust oversight of the project."
IDENTITY
Management Board
CSR APPROACH
RISKS AND CHALLENGES
2020 ACTIVITY