Airbnb is enforcing a Community Commitment agreement on its site, with those users not accepting the new standards no longer able to host of book using the site.
Airbnb is an international online community that matches travellers with properties for rent that property owners list as available.
The agreement means users are committing to treat everyone, regardless of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or age, with respect, and without judgment or bias.
The new non-discrimination rules are in response to recent allegations of racism, with some users claiming the company was not handling complaints of racism well enough.
From November 1, users will be shown the commitment when they login or open the Airbnb website, mobile or tablet app. The site will automatically ask the user to accept the commitment.
If a user declines the commitment, they won't be able to host or book using Airbnb, and will have the option to cancel their account. Once an account is cancelled, future booked trips will be cancelled.
"Our community includes millions of people from virtually every country on the globe," Airbnb says on its company blog.
"It is an incredibly diverse community, drawing together individuals of different cultures, values, and norms.
"The Airbnb community is committed to building a world where people from every background feel welcome and respected, no matter how far they have travelled from home," the company says.
"While we do not believe that one company can mandate harmony amongst all people, we do believe that the Airbnb community can promote empathy and understanding across all cultures. We are all committed to doing everything we can to help eliminate all forms of unlawful bias, discrimination, and intolerance from our platform.
