In a company blog post, Airbnb announced that it will provide temporary housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees worldwide. The resettlement will be conducted through Airbnb.org, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in moments of crisis. The nonprofit “previously helped shelter those displaced by natural disasters, and offered places to frontline workers at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Airbnb.org will “collaborate with resettlement agencies and partners to go where the need goes, and evolve this initiative and our support as necessary. In addition, given the tremendous need, Airbnb urges fellow members of the global business community to join efforts to provide immediate support to Afghan refugees.”

Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO and cofounder, said about the crisis, “As tens of thousands of Afghan refugees resettle around the world, where they stay will be the first chapter in their new lives. For these 20,000 refugees, my hope is that the Airbnb community will provide them with not only a safe place to rest and start over, but also a warm welcome home.”

Airbnb.org recently offered emergency funds to support other prominent charitable organizations, including the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and Church World Service, with their efforts to “provide immediate temporary stays via the Airbnb platform for up to 1,000 arriving Afghan refugees.” The nonprofit “worked with partners to place 165 refugees in safe housing shortly after touching down in the U.S.”

David Miliband, president and chief executive of the IRC, said, “As the IRC helps to welcome and resettle Afghans in the U.S., accessible housing is urgently needed and essential. We are grateful to our partners at Airbnb.org and Airbnb for once again offering their support and infrastructure to meet this moment, providing safe and welcoming places for individuals and families as they arrive in the United States and begin rebuilding their lives.”

Airbnb has a history of trying  to make a difference in the world. In an open letter to the Airbnb community, Chesky wrote about the company’s mission statement, “We must realize our vision and ensure our vision is good for society. This means that we must have the best interest of three stakeholders in mind: Airbnb the company (employees and shareholders), Airbnb the community (guests and hosts) and the world outside of Airbnb.”

When Covid-19 hit and companies felt the financial strain, there were massive layoffs in the U.S. During this tumultuous time, the Airbnb chief executive gave a true master class in empathy and compassion. Roughly 1,900 people out of the company’s 7,500 total workforce were slated to lose their jobs. This was one of the largest layoffs in Silicon Valley, at the time. Although the news about the layoffs were painful for everyone, the company made a concerted effort to lead with transparency and compassion.

Chesky assured the people who were impacted that the “decisions are not a reflection of the work from people on these teams.” He thanked his employees by saying, “We have great people leaving Airbnb, and other companies will be lucky to have them.” The chief executive promised that the company will take care of those that are leaving. “We have looked across severance, equity, healthcare and job support and done our best to treat everyone in a compassionate and thoughtful way,” Chesky added.

He assured his team, “Employees in the U.S. will receive 14 weeks of base pay, plus one additional week for every year at Airbnb. Tenure will be rounded to the nearest year. For example, if someone has been at Airbnb for three years and seven months, they will get an additional four weeks of salary, or 18 weeks of total pay.” Twelve months of health insurance would be covered through COBRA.

Chesky offered other ways that the company could help the folks who were downsized. This included access to an alumni directory, which amplified the former workers’ profiles to attract hiring managers, as well as offering placement support, career advice and assistance.

It would be easy to end the piece here, on a high note. However, Airbnb, as well as the country, in our efforts in kindness, we also must ensure that we are careful not to inadvertently invite Taliban or terrorists into the U.S. It sounds cold and harsh to raise the issue. Sadly, we’ve seen the savage brutality and atrocities committed by the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.

America is a fair and just place. We’ve welcomed people who’ve faced adversity with open arms. We can’t turn a blind eye to those who want to harm us. Airbnb’s actions are amazing, but we need to be vigilant and careful along with our generosity and kindness.

Source: Forbes