15 Years Connecting People

In 2025 we celebrate 15 years since we started our journey. And although we could talk about numbers – more than 7 million users, presence in 6 countries, a team of 150 passionate professionals -, there is something much more important behind all this: our story, our people and our purpose. Because if we have learned anything during this time, it is that what builds a company is not numbers. It’s the human connections.

And we celebrate this milestone by meeting with more than 90 HR leaders in Spain, where the Vip District Headquarter is located and where it all began.

Before we tell you what we experienced that day, let’s travel back a few years.

From a simple discount club to a purposeful engagement platform

It all started in 2010. Back then, we were a discount club. A simple idea: to help people save on their daily lives. But from the beginning we knew we wanted to be more than that. We wanted to have an impact. To help companies create more authentic bonds with their employees and customers. To give meaning to recognition. To make the experience within an organization more human, more relatable, more real.

That vision led us to evolve. To listen to our customers, to explore new ways of motivation, and to constantly reinvent ourselves. Thus was born Vip District as we know it today: a comprehensive platform that drives the emotional connection between companies and people, through customized solutions for benefits, recognition, communication and loyalty.

Today we work with leading companies in Europe, accompany teams of all sizes, and continue to grow with a clear purpose: to make people feel seen, valued and connected.Here’s a little more detail on our journey – and yes, we’re also excited to see how far we’ve come.

People, always at the center

This anniversary would not be possible without those who have been part of the journey.

To our more than 3,000 clients, thank you for trusting us, for challenging us and for choosing us every day to create more human and motivating cultures.

To our team, thank you for putting your soul, ideas and energy into every project. You are the driving force behind it all.

And to those who led this dream from the beginning — Jesús Alonso, Marc Viladés, Rodrigo Checa — thanks for the vision, the drive, and for always betting on people.

15 years later, we are still guided by the same compass: building relationships that matter.

An event with purpose: rethinking the employee experience

To seal the celebration of these 15 years, we organized an inspiring day in Madrid: “How to Build the Employee Experience”, in collaboration with RRHH Digital and the Spanish Association of Human Resources Directors (AEDRH).

More than 90 HR professionals joined this meeting full of learning, where we talked about culture, recognition and how to build work spaces that really connect with people.

We opened the event with words of welcome from our CEO Jesús Alonso, and Antonio Sánchez Díaz (AEDRH), setting the human and strategic tone of the day.

Then, the speaker Ramón Fauria surprised us with a talk that mixed corporate storytelling and mentalism, leaving us with powerful ideas on how to connect from emotion, even in corporate contexts.

The trend analysis came from Massimo Begelle, Regional Manager of the Top Employers Institute, who shared key data on the European talent management landscape. Massimo left us with a key idea: the new generations are no longer tied to companies as they used to be. Their relationship with work is lighter, more flexible, more connected to what they experience on a daily basis. What they are looking for is not just a job, but an experience that evolves with them. That’s why organizations that want to attract and retain young talent need to adapt quickly: to be more dynamic, more open and, above all, more human.

But the heart of the event were the two round tables, moderated by our team together with industry experts:

Here are some of the ideas:

Round Table: Employee Experience

Catalina Guevara Santamaría, CHRO of Allianz
María José Vos Martinez, Talent Strategy Director at Accenture
Laura Melero, Culture & Diversity Manager at CaixaBank

Some ideas that attendees took away:

The employee experience starts by freeing up time for people to focus on what really matters.
Listening attentively and generating ownership are key to building a solid EVP. CaixaBank applied this in its renewal of its employee value proposition, also relying on the Vip District platform.
In the face of generational diversity, offering flexible spaces and experiences makes it possible to connect with different needs and expectations.

Roundtable: Recognition in the Workplace

Belén Badia, Chief People & Culture Officer, PortAventura World
Cristina Gadea, Head of Employer Branding, Generali
Roberto Riera, Head of Employer Branding and Culture, IVI RMA GLOBAL

Key reflections:

Cristina Gadea (Generali) emphasized the need to drive continuous improvement through positive reinforcement. Regular sessions with managers help to identify what really motivates teams. Surround yourself with people who inspire – and who have the patience to create a lasting impact.
Belén Badia (PortAventura World) pointed out a critical challenge: the lack of a feedback culture. It has to start at the top: leaders must model the right mindset. They must be trained to listen, communicate clearly and hold others accountable when actions are not correct.
The panel also addressed a major challenge: how to manage five different generations in the same workplace. The answer? Practice active listening, use all available channels to understand employee needs, segment your audience and personalize recognition strategies, and finally, use data to tailor recognition in a meaningful and targeted way.
Recognition is not just about applauding, it’s about connecting, understanding and exercising leadership that adapts to people, not the other way around.

The message was clear: building healthy and sustainable cultures requires listening, adapting and putting people first.

We look forward to the future with the same enthusiasm as the first day

Our anniversary came with a new look, with new colours and a refreshed image. But our purpose remains the same: to help companies create more human, authentic and lasting relationships.

We will continue to innovate, yes, but above all, we will continue to listen. Because what drives us is not the technology itself, but how to use it to improve people’s lives at work.

Thank you for being part of this story. The best is yet to come.🧡

Relive the best moments of the event

We want this celebration to also reach those who could not join us in Madrid.

Here are some videos with the most inspiring moments of the event, and interviews with HR leaders who shared their vision of the future of the employee experience.