Beyond Profit Podcast

Beyond Profit Podcast


Airbnb.org: Opening Homes in Times of Crisis

July 25, 2023

More than 108 million people were forcibly displaced last year as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events disturbing public order, according to the UN Refugee Agency. For several years, through its Open Homes initiative, Airbnb has provided hosts with the option to make their property available to people in need of housing on a temporary basis, such as for disaster relief, travel for medical treatment, and refugees seeking asylum.

 

Most recently, the company established Airbnb.org, an independent nonprofit, to help with housing and resources in times of crisis. To date, thanks to a global community of hosts, donors, and partner organizations, Airbnb.org has connected nearly 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers to emergency stays, including more than 135,000 refugees from Ukraine and over 34,000 refugees from Afghanistan.

 

In this episode of Beyond Profit, a podcast of the ANA Center for Brand Purpose, Dupé Ajayi, global marketing lead at Airbnb.org, joins host Ken Beaulieu to discuss the organization’s mission, impact, and how it’s using the power of marketing to make a difference.