We are pleased to have been selected as one of eight project developers to pilot the CCA Clean Cooking Code of Conduct, a tool designed to strengthen transparency, accountability, and technical rigor in the clean cooking carbon sector.
The Code of Conduct outlines the actions that project developers must take to fulfil the Principles for Responsible Carbon Finance – a set of values developed collaboratively in 2023 and 2024 by CCA and the Responsible Carbon Finance Advisory Board, with input from hundreds of organisations across the clean cooking sector. This subsequent Interim Code of Conduct was informed by consultations with working groups, interviews with experts, and research.
The Code of Conduct has been developed for two key audiences:
DelAgua has been selected alongside Africa Clean Energy, Bridge Carbon, BURN, Eni, Korea Carbon Management, M-GAS and The African Stove Company to test and refine the Code of Conduct ensuring that it is both feasible and effective across a wide range of contexts.
“This Code of Conduct is a marker of technical excellence and ethical accountability, creating a foundation of trust and confidence for buyers, investors, and other participants in clean cooking carbon projects,” said Dymphna van der Lans, CEO of CCA. “The organizations piloting the Code of Conduct are not only showing real leadership when it comes to responsible carbon finance, but also directly contributing to the high standards needed for this market to grow sustainably.”
The Code of Conduct enhances existing integrity frameworks, such as the ICVCM’s Core Carbon Principles, carbon standards and the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance.
David Kitt, DelAgua Chief Technology Officer said “Integrity is at the core of our Live Well programme in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and The Gambia – it’s how we operate, how we engage with communities and government partners and how we measure and report our impact. The Clean Cooking Code of Conduct is a vital step towards strengthening accountability and raising standards across the clean cooking sector.”
At DelAgua we have consistently gone above and beyond the minimum requirements of the methodologies under which our projects are registered. We invest heavily in household visits, which consist of follow-up support and education to all households who receive our stove, delivered by our 7,000 community-based workers. This continuous education drives usage and long-term behaviour change, enabling households to adapt to clean cooking.
The Live Well programme is one of the very few carbon projects to sign Letters of Authorization (LoAs) with 3 host governments. The Rwanda LoA was signed in October 2023; The Gambia in April 2024 and Sierra Leone in August 2024. This is a complex, lengthy process and starts from trusted relationships: working in partnership with host governments has always been at the heart of how we operate, and this has enabled us to secure LoAs. We have also gone a step further to protect our buyers with the creation of Corresponding Adjustment Protect, the first Corresponding Adjustment insurance solution.
With multiple accuracy checks in place alongside our existing comprehensive in-person household visit programme, we are confident our Live Well programme and carbon credits can pass the most rigorous integrity scrutiny.
“Adopting the Clean Cooking Code of Conduct will ensure that our projects maintain the high integrity they are known for and, keep up with the market’s best practices while offering more confidence to our partners. We welcome the transparency reporting and accountability, which not only benefits DelAgua, but the sector as a whole” said Francois Regis Ruzirabwoba, DelAgua Carbon Market Senior Analyst.
The piloting phase is expected to last through December 2025. CCA will compile all feedback from project developers and incorporate it into the final Code of Conduct.
