When crisis hits, businesses around the world are increasingly ready to step in and help out by leveraging their products, services or platforms. Recently, the boycott of business operations in Russia has again emphasized the new role that business can play in this world. A world that will see an increasing amount of crisis thrown at it over the coming years and decades. So how can you, as a purpose-driven business, better set yourself up to help out those in need during or post-crisis? Let's dive in...
Airbnb's Disaster Response Tool
In 2012, Shell, an Airbnb host in Brooklyn, wanted to offer her home to people impacted by the devastating Hurricane Sandy and asked Airbnb for help. This initiative inspired Airbnb to build its so-called disaster response tool and launch Airbnb.org, an independent non-profit that offers temporary housing to those affected by emergency situations such as natural disasters, a pandemic, or war.
Airbnb worked together with the San Francisco’s Department of Emergency Management as well as design agency IDEO to create this global tool that can be activated in 30 minutes or less and will, amongst other things:
Allow local residents with extra space to host those in need.
Allow existing hosts to donate their rooms for free to those in need.
Email hosts in the affected area, asking them if they are able to help.
Facilitate community emergency response trainings to cultivate Airbnb hosts as trained leaders.
Subsidize hosts who help out.
Since the launch of the tool in 2013, Airbnb has set up partnerships with dozens of organizations and helped out in various crisis situations in over 100 countries: e.g. during the wildfires in California and Australia, typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Syria and Afghan refugee movements, Pulse nightclub shooting, or the Mexico City earthquake. With regards to the current war in Ukraine, 100,000 housing offers were pledged by Airbnb for Ukrainian refugees. And as of mid-March, over 21,500 hosts from around the world have already signed up for the initiative.
So here is how you can set up your crisis response:
Stick to your purpose when sh*t hits the fan! Airbnb's purpose is 'to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere', including those displaced by crisis.
Make sure that your entire organization is open to initiatives from customers! Host Shell's initial question and reach out wasn't just brushed to the side by Airbnb's customer services team but rather received a 'great idea, let's do this' response and was forwarded to the executive team.
Use your already existing products, platforms and resources for setting up your disaster support service! Airbnb has hosts with houses and flats around the world, many of whom are super open-minded and caring. It only took a few changes to set up a new system that offers hosts to provide their homes for free, and for those seeking refuge to find these listings.
Partner with organizations that have the expertise! Airbnb partners with local governments, international refugee and disaster relief organizations and other non-profits who know how best to use and integrate Airbnb's disaster response service.
Commit to and measure the cause! Airbnb is working with leading diversity and equity as well as impact measurement experts to set up and work on certain commitments such as improving fairness and inclusivity in their program and team.
Ultimately, this is all about building a purpose-driven business for a crisis-prone world. What could your disaster response tool be? It's time to start building it!
NEWS | In The Headlines
Interesting articles our community members have been sharing on our Slack this month?
B Corp UK launches its first-ever B Corp shop in London showcasing B Corp products
Ben & Jerry's launches 'Into the Mix' podcast dedicated to art, activism and social change
UN gives green light to historic global treaty to end plastic waste
Make My Money Matter Ukraine helps people understand more about the power of their pensions in relation to the invasion of Ukraine
The SEC proposes a new disclosure for publicly traded companies in the US to disclose the greenhouse gas emissions they produce
Lemonade launches crypto climate coalition to use AI and the blockchain to insure smallholder farmers against climate risks
New study shows that companies with more women on their boards are more likely to be on track to meet global climate goals
Purpose-driven marketing campaigns top WARC Effectiveness 100 ranking
COMMUNITY | What Have We Been Up To?
What have our community members been up to this month?
Jonah Lewis launched Mensch.club, an incredible database of free resources for building purpose-driven brands.
Craig Griffiths recently joined Evolutesix as Growth Anchor.
Estelle Castelli Florino Pilz launched The Root Studio offering website strategy, design and development for changemakers and purpose-led businesses.
Sharoni Rosenberg is giving BoP members 10 versions of her book 'WTF is Purpose?' for free.
Daniel Buhagiarstarted a blog and newsletter about modern business strategy in an ecosystem world.
Mandar Apte is offering BoP members a 50% discount with the code TAKE50BTC to his course on mental wellbeing and compassion.
Michael Solomon is, very much aligned with this issue's focus on crisis response, crowdsourcing actions specific to employers and employees who wish to help Ukraine and put pressure on Putin
