BESIX Group is a Belgian[1] construction group based in Brussels,[2] one of the world's leading international contractors according to the ENR ranking.[3] Active since 1909, BESIX operates in Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, Africa, North America and Asia.[4]
Its achievements include Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower,[5] buildings of the European Parliament in Brussels,[6][7]
In 2020, BESIX had a turnover of 3.8 billion dollars and 12,000 employees worldwide.[1]
BESIX participates in the construction, management and maintenance of waste-to-energy and waste recycling projects,[49][50] as well as wastewater treatment plants, water reuse facilities[51] and drinking water treatment plant. These include one of the largest drinkable water treatment plant in West Africa, in La Mé (Ivory Coast).[52] In Dubai, the group is notably building the world's largest thermal waste recycling plants.[53][54]
In the Benelux region, BESIX has built energy-neutral infrastructure. These include sewage treatment plants[55] as well as infrastructures.[56] In Belgium, BESIX's subsidiary Jacques Delens has notably built the first passive office building in Brussels,[57] has won the be.circular award in 2018 and 2019, an award which promotes circular economy in the Belgian construction sector,[58][59] and has participated to the construction of the first neighborhood in the world to be officially certified BREEAM Outstanding.[60]
In Cameroon, BESIX participates to the construction of the Nachtigal Hydropower Project,[61] which will produce up to one-third of the country's electricity.[62]
BESIX participated in the construction of the first high-rise building in the world to obtain both LEED Platinum certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and High Environmental Quality (HQE) certification, for the Carpe Diem tower in the Parisian district of La Défense).[63] In Africa, BESIX has begun building one of Africa's tallest towers, the Mohammed VI Tower, which will also be one of the first high-rise buildings in Africa to achieve dual LEED Gold and HQE certification.[64]
BESIX has an internal engineering department which undertakes the design work and technical studies for its construction sites, especially for skyscrapers, marine infrastructures and civil engineering works.[65]
In 2020, BESIX Engineering was awarded the first worldwide Building Information Modeling (BIM) standard (ISO 19650-2).[66] In 2017, BESIX was the first Belgian construction company and the first general contractor in Europe to achieve maximum certification level in BIM[67][68] In 2018, BESIX and its subsidiary Vanhout took awards in each category presented at the 2018 BIM Awards.[69] In the 2017 BIM Awards, BESIX took awards in five out of six categories, also winning the BIM Award of the Year.[70]
In 2018, BESIX and Proximus, the leader in Belgium's ICT and Telecommunications sectors, set up a partnership to jointly develop a new generation of Smart Buildings, with priority to solutions promoting energy efficiency, comfort and safety.[71] In 2019, the companies inaugurated their very first smart building in Dordrecht, in the Netherlands.[72]
BESIX has developed initiatives in the field of Open Innovation.[73] These comprise the Clean Air project, developed by BESIX employees, that has made it possible to create plant walls for tunnels and roads for treating CO2.[74] In Dubai, other BESIX employees have developed 3D concrete printing solutions:[75] in 2020, they have printed the world's largest 3DCP façade.[40]
In the sports area, BESIX has since 2017 been an official sponsor of the Belgium National football team, the Red Devils.[76] BESIX also supports the Belgium women's national football team, the Red Flames, and the national youth teams.[22]
The BESIX Foundation operates in the sectors of the environment (renewable energies, waste treatment), education (literacy, vocational training) and construction (access to housing, sustainable construction). Created in 2009, it supports existing non-profit organizations, either through project financing or through skills provision.[77]
BESIX Group is a signatory to an International Framework Agreement on fair labour standards with the Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI), a global union federation, and its European Works Council (EWC). BESIX's commitment to international trade union associations follows regular criticism of construction companies and the working conditions of migrant workers in the Middle East.[78] The agreements signed with BWI are based on the respect of international standards and the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).[79]
Going beyond the ILO rules, BESIX has implemented various initiatives for the benefit of migrant workers, for example in terms of health coverage or quality of housing.[85] BESIX also organizes training courses for them in IT.[86]
On a number of occasions since 2013, Six Construct, BESIX's subsidiary in the Middle East, has been awarded the Corporate Social Responsibility label of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.[87] The label is the highest recognition of Corporate Social Responsibility in the United Arab Emirates.[88]
The group is a member of the United Nations Global Compact programme.[19]
