Our Carbon Offsetting Impact: 16 Years of Sustainability

At Refreshment Systems, sustainability has been at the core of our operations for over 16 years. Since 2008, we have been committed to reducing our carbon footprint through our partnership with CO2balance. Our Carbon Offsetting Impact Report (2008-2024) highlights the significant environmental, social, and economic benefits achieved through our support of the African Improved Cook Stove Project in Kenya and Rwanda.

Our Commitment to CarbonZero To achieve CarbonZero status, we have continuously worked with CO2balance to measure and offset the carbon dioxide emissions generated by our operations. This commitment has led to meaningful environmental and social change, benefiting thousands of people while reducing deforestation and carbon emissions.

The African Improved Cook Stove Project The African Improved Cook Stove Project is designed to provide energy-efficient cooking stoves to communities in Kenya and Rwanda. These stoves reduce firewood consumption by 50%, cutting carbon emissions and deforestation while also providing health and economic benefits to families.

Key Impacts from Our Offsetting Commitment:

🔹 Environmental Impact:

• 6,799.41 tonnes of CO₂ emissions prevented
• 5,528 tonnes of wood saved, reducing deforestation and protecting ecosystems

🔹 Social & Community Benefits:

• 2,188 stoves provided to families in need
• 142,343 hours saved in cooking and wood collection
• 11,438 lives impacted, including young people and the elderly

🔹 Health & Safety Improvements:

• Reduction in indoor smoke exposure, lowering cases of respiratory illness by 3,707 instances
• Reduced risk of burns and accidents from open fire cooking

Verified by the Gold Standard The African Improved Cook Stove Project is accredited by the Gold Standard, a globally recognized certification ensuring high-quality carbon offset projects that also deliver sustainable development benefits. This rigorous certification process guarantees that our offsetting efforts create real, measurable, and lasting positive change.

Supporting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals Through this initiative, Refreshment Systems contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Climate Action, Good Health & Well-being, and Affordable & Clean Energy. These global goals drive us to make a lasting impact on the environment and communities in need.

Looking Ahead: Our Ongoing Sustainability Journey While we are proud of our achievements so far, our commitment to sustainability continues. We will keep exploring new ways to reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and support impactful environmental projects. By integrating responsible business practices, we aim to lead by example in creating a more sustainable future.