AirBnB – Juye Kim – 2022

Goals

To help meet Airbnb’s commitment to operate as a net zero company for corporate emissions by 2030, Airbnb began matching office electricity use with 100% renewable energy purchases starting in 2020. To date, renewable energy has been sourced via energy attribute certificates that meet RE100 standards. A main objective of the fellowship was to identify potential opportunities to procure direct sources of renewable energy, where available.

Another key goal of the internship was to research and propose options for engaging employees on sustainability.

Solutions

Corporate Renewable Energy Procurement:

Leveraging the expertise of external experts and cross-functional teams, Juye researched local and potentially relevant renewable energy programs and their details. Building on that research and analysis, Juye created an action plan of potentially applicable renewable energy programs to consider, along with possible next steps.

Employee Engagement on Sustainability:

Juye assessed Airbnb’s employee engagement offerings to date, including by conducting interviews with key stakeholders to understand areas for opportunity to engage employees. Combined with research and benchmarking of other companies’ sustainability engagement and benefits, Juye proposed employee sustainability engagement programs for Airbnb to consider in future years.

Potential Impact

Corporate Renewable Energy Procurement:

Airbnb is considering Juye’s recommendations, using her research as a guide as the company explores potential next steps in our renewable energy program.

Employee Engagement on Sustainability: 

Additionally, Juye’s research and proposals for potential employee sustainability engagement programs will help inform Airbnb’s future programs. We believe that Juye’s proposals can help drive employee engagement on sustainability.