Last Updated:
1/31/21 4:09 PM
overall rating:
keep going
Airbnb
Internal Representation & Support
66%
Public Commitment
66%
External Communication
64%
To evaluate this pillar, we take into consideration a range of factors, including but not limited to:
- Employee representation
- Diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI)
We weigh a company’s degree of public commitment primarily on their monetary contributions to DEI matters or organizations fighting racial injustice.
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Forms of monetary support we look for:
One-off donations
Recurring donations
Grant initiatives
Employee donation matching
Highlights
Airbnb's posts in support of racial justice are extremely specific in their goals, outlining the number of Black executive leaders and directors they aim to add. The announcement of their partnership with Color of Change in June 2020 demonstrates a genuine commitment to combating racial bias on their platform.
Lowlights
While Airbnb's commitment to increasing equity--both within the organization and on the platform itself--is notable, the anti-racist actions being taken by leadership are long overdue. There have been countless incidents of discrimination on the platform reported over the years, and new research shows that discrimination on Airbnb persists: there is now evidence documenting discrimination based on sexual orientation and disability.
We scour the company’s website and official social media channels to determine what message they are sending around racial injustice, how they are communicating it, and whether their communications are perceived as genuine or performative.
Public statement: We verify that companies have made a formal statement regarding racial injustice.
Social media: We consider how a company uses their platform(s) beyond performative allyship.
Representation: For companies that have the opportunity to showcase diversity in their feed, we consider whether they have adequate Black representation and BIPOC representation across their models.
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Deep Dive
I. Internal Representation & Support:
Board of Directors:
> 15% Black, 31% - 35% BIPOC, 46% - 50% Women
Executive Leadership:
0% (none) Black, 16% - 20% BIPOC, 11% - 20% Women
4% - 5% Black, > 40% BIPOC, 46% - 50% Women
Workforce:
An appointed DEI senior leader and/or a dedicated DEI organization, A Black employee resource group
DEI Support:
II. Public Commitment
Airbnb has pledged a donation of 0.01% - 0.09% of annual revenue towards racial injustice, specifically for Black lives. Additionally, Airbnb has engaged in actions that advance racial justice and/or uplift BIPOC communities, such as partnerships with nonprofits or mission-based organizations, sponsorship of events, and matching donations to a broad range of qualifying organizations. Airbnb is also an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, people living with disabilities, and Indigienous populations.
III. External Communications
Airbnb has issued a public statement, both on social media and in a public memo, addressing racial injustice that included specific calls to action, and explicitly stated "Black Lives Matter." Since June 2020, 10% - 20% of the brand's social media content has been centered around racial injustice with posts seeking to continue the momentum of BLM. While the brand does not regularly feature models in their social media posts, there is little to no evidence of additional actions the brand takes to show support of the LGBTQ+ community (beyond posting for Pride) or other marginalized communities.
