Airbnb

Airbnb received a score of 100 on the 2026 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2)(3). Airbnb’s received a score of 100 on the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (4)(5). Airbnb canceled the reservations of customers who were attending a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia (6). Airbnb also banned a Filipino American from using its website after she attended an event hosted by a group that the SPLC deemed a “hate group” (7). In June 2025, the Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit against Airbnb on behalf of The Heritage Foundation and the American Conservative Values ETF for ignoring the two groups’ shareholder proposals. Airbnb claims that it never received the proposals and that the mailroom employee who supposedly signed for the proposals was on vacation at the time. Meanwhile, Airbnb accepted a proposal on “Disclosure of Voting Results by Class of Shares” from a different group (8)(9)(10)(11)(12). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (13).

Airbnb’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2)(3) Airbnb’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (4)(5). The company does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (6).

Airbnb’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend at least one, controversial training on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2)(3). Airbnb’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (4)(5). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its supply chain. From its 2024 Sustainability and Community Update: “[Our Supplier Diversity Program] define[s] a diverse business as one that is majority-owned (51 percent or more) by minorities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, persons with disabilities, veterans, or service-disabled veterans, or one with a majority of operations in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZones) as defined by the Small Business Administration” (6). The company offers unconscious bias, allyship, and DEI training to its employees (7). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (8).

Airbnb’s rating HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company potentially agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2)(3). Airbnb’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (4)(5). Airbnb signed an open letter endorsing the Equality Act, a contentious proposal to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected categories. The legislation would, among other implications, grant biological men access to women-only spaces such as sports teams and public restrooms, and compel healthcare providers to deliver sex-denying healthcare (6). The company has signed onto multiple amicus briefs, which include opposition to Trump’s travel ban, support for trans students using the bathroom of their choice and including sexual orientation under Civil Rights act protections (7)(8)(9). The company opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which would prohibit teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in K-3rd grade (10). Airbnb supports codifying abortion rights, and its CEO Brian Chesky is a signatory to CEOs For Gun Safety (11)(12). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (13). Airbnb opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (14). Airbnb signed an amicus brief in opposition to the 2016 North Carolina bathroom bill HB2, which required people to use the bathroom of their biological sex (15). The company is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 (16). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2023 Sustainability and Community Update: “We believe a diverse team helps us build an inclusive and accessible platform to serve these stakeholders and the communities they call home. A diverse workforce and an inclusive culture also help us attract and retain top talent, identify and work to address challenges and opportunities as they evolve over time, and build products and services that we believe position us for long-term growth” (17). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2023 Sustainability and Community Update: “We believe addressing climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our generation and that businesses play a key role in helping to achieve a stable climate. We also believe that striving for more sustainable operations—and sustainable practices with our Hosts and guests —is an important tool to help address stakeholder concerns, reduce energy costs, increase business resiliency, and create a more sustainable company and community” (18). The company scored a 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group (19)(20).

Airbnb’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits, lab monitoring, and mental health benefits. The company also covers at least five of the following services: reconstructive hair removal, cosmetic hair removal, tracheal shave or reduction, facial surgeries, voice modification surgery, voice modification therapy, lipoplasty or filling for body masculinization or feminization, and travel and lodging expenses. Additionally, the company has potentially pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2)(3)(4). Airbnb’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (5)(6). Airbnb provides a benefits package for employees that covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children (7)(8)(9)(10)(11). Airbnb pledged support to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (12)(13)(14). The company allegedly directed its customers to the BLM donation page when they tried to search for bookings through its site (15). Airbnb has also said that its “healthcare coverage supports reproductive rights and we will work to make sure our employees have the resources they need to make choices about their reproductive rights, as we committed to in 2021” (16)(17). The company is a corporate partner of the NGLCC (18). Airbnb is a coalition member of OneTen, appearing to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring (19)(20)(21). In 2021, the company donated $50,000 to The Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management (I-DIEM) (22). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (23).

Airbnb’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). Airbnb has not used its PAC donations for ideological purposes (3)(4). In 2019, the company lobbied for Equality Act (5).