The challenge: capturing frontline intelligence in a decentralised group
VINCI Energies is a global player in energy and digital solutions, organised into nearly 1,900 operational business units across more than 50 countries. This decentralised structure is a strength: it enables agility, local responsiveness, and client proximity. But it poses a major challenge for innovation. How do you surface the best ideas when they originate thousands of kilometres from headquarters?
Before implementing a structured approach, improvement ideas often remained confined to their unit of origin. A technician in Brazil might solve a problem that dozens of teams in Europe were also facing, without anyone knowing. Best practices were lost in organisational silos, and cross-functional innovation opportunities went unnoticed.
For VINCI Energies' Innovation Department, the objective was clear: they needed a tool that could operate at group scale while respecting the autonomy of local entities.
The solution: a participative innovation platform adapted to group complexity
VINCI Energies deployed Hives.co as their central idea management platform, leveraging several key capabilities.
Multi-entity and multi-language. The platform enables each business unit to launch its own idea campaigns in its local language, while providing a consolidated view at the group level. An innovation manager in Paris can see trends emerging simultaneously in Brazil, Germany, and Sweden.
Field accessibility. In a group where most employees work on construction sites, industrial facilities, or at client locations, mobile access is essential. Hives.co allows anyone to submit an idea in seconds from their smartphone, without needing to connect to the corporate network.
Targeted campaigns by strategic priority. Rather than opening a generic suggestion box, VINCI Energies organises idea collection around concrete challenges: reducing carbon footprint, worksite safety, maintenance process optimisation, and digitalisation of field interventions. This targeted approach dramatically improves the quality of contributions.
Concrete results at group scale
Deploying Hives.co at VINCI Energies structured what already existed informally, a culture of initiative and continuous improvement, by giving it the tools to scale.
Massive, cross-functional participation. Employees at all hierarchical levels and across all geographies now contribute to the innovation effort. The tool has broken through the linguistic and organisational barriers that previously hindered the flow of ideas.
Identifying synergies between entities. One of the most significant benefits is the ability to identify common challenges across entities that did not previously interact. When three business units in three different countries submit similar ideas, it signals that a topic deserves group-level investment.
Accelerating the idea-to-action cycle. Thanks to Hives.co's built-in qualification workflow, ideas no longer sit in an indefinite queue. Each submission follows a clear path: evaluation, prioritisation, assignment to a project owner, and implementation tracking. Contributors can see what happens to their proposals, which sustains the dynamic of participation.
Keys to success
Respecting local autonomy while creating a common framework. VINCI Energies did not impose a uniform innovation process across all entities. Each business unit retains the freedom to define its own campaigns and evaluation criteria. But using a shared platform ensures that data flows upward and best practices circulate.
Anchoring innovation in operational priorities. Idea campaigns are directly tied to the group's strategic priorities: energy transition, operational excellence, safety, and customer experience. This connection between the participative approach and business strategy gives meaning to every employee's contribution.
Recognising contributors. VINCI Energies has implemented recognition mechanisms for employees whose ideas are implemented. This recognition, whether symbolic or tangible, is an essential lever for maintaining engagement over time.
About VINCI Energies
VINCI Energies is a subsidiary of the VINCI Group, a global leader in concessions and construction. With revenue exceeding €19 billion and 97,000 employees in 57 countries, VINCI Energies supports clients in implementing energy, digital, and industrial solutions. The company is organised into nearly 1,900 business units, a decentralised structure that fosters agility and field proximity while leveraging the strength of a global group.
