Audit Committee Charters
Build a Charter That Strengthens Audit Oversight and Internal Audit Independence
If your Audit Committee Charter hasn’t been updated recently, it may not reflect today’s governance and regulatory expectations. This focused 2-CPE event walks internal auditors through the key components, regulatory drivers, and best practices that define an effective Audit Committee Charter.
You’ll learn what leading organizations include — and what the SEC, Green Book, PCAOB, NYSE/Nasdaq, and IIA expect to see — in a charter that supports independent oversight, risk management, and transparent reporting.
Why Attend
Clarify Roles and Responsibilities: Learn how to define authority and oversight in clear, enforceable terms.
Strengthen Internal Audit Independence: Ensure the charter protects internal audit’s objectivity, scope, and direct access to the Audit Committee.
Align with Current Standards: Understand expectations under SEC, Green Book, PCAOB, and IIA guidance — and where most organizations fall short.
Benchmark and Update Your Charter: Use templates, sample language, and maturity assessments to identify improvement areas.
Engage the Board with Confidence: Equip yourself to discuss governance enhancements that build trust and accountability.
Who Should Attend
Internal auditors, audit managers, CAEs, compliance officers, board secretaries, and professionals responsible for corporate governance and oversight documentation.
Event Agenda (2 CPEs)
The Role of the Audit Committee Charter
Governance framework and authority
Why charters fail and how to fix them
Core Elements and Regulatory Expectations
SEC, PCAOB, and IIA requirements
Defining independence and reporting lines
Oversight Responsibilities
Financial reporting, risk management, and compliance
Internal audit interaction and evaluation
Break – 10 minutes
Assessing and Updating the Charter
Maturity models, benchmarking, and practical revisions
Q&A and Wrap-Up
Reserve your seat now and gain the knowledge to evaluate and modernize your organization’s Audit Committee Charter.
You’ll leave with templates, insights, and actionable tools to make your charter more relevant, defensible, and aligned with today’s internal audit standards.
Details on Event Presentation
Offered every eight weeks on Mondays at 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central Time in two CPE-Credit event.
We can schedule private events on your timetable for two or more attendees.
CPE Event Highlights
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Understand the Charter’s Purpose: Learn how the Audit Committee Charter defines the committee’s authority, scope, and accountability to the Board.
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Align with Leading Standards: See how SEC, Green Book, PCAOB, NYSE/Nasdaq, and IIA guidance shape the structure and content of modern audit committee charters.
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Strengthen Internal Audit Independence: Discover how a well-crafted charter supports internal audit objectivity, reporting lines, and resource protection.
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Enhance Oversight of Risk and Compliance: Identify how charter language can reinforce audit committee oversight of enterprise risk management and compliance programs.
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Benchmark and Improve: Compare sample charters and governance practices to spot gaps and improvement opportunities in your own organization.
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Practical Tools and Templates: Receive actionable guidance and examples to assist in evaluating or drafting an Audit Committee Charter.
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Learning Objectives
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
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Explain the purpose and key components of an Audit Committee Charter in relation to corporate governance and internal audit oversight.
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Identify the roles and responsibilities of the audit committee as defined by SEC, Green Book, PCAOB, NYSE/Nasdaq, and IIA standards.
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Evaluate how the Audit Committee Charter supports internal audit independence, scope, and reporting structure.
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Assess whether an organization’s Audit Committee Charter adequately addresses risk management, compliance, and financial reporting oversight.
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Recommend updates or enhancements to strengthen the effectiveness of the Audit Committee Charter based on current regulatory expectations and best practices.
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Key Issues on the Agenda
I. Introduction and Learning Overview
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Objectives of the session
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Importance of the Audit Committee in governance and internal audit oversight
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Regulatory drivers
II. Core Elements of an Effective Audit Committee Charter
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Required and recommended components of a charter
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Relationship between Board, Management, and Internal Audit
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Defining authority, independence, and access to information
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Example charter structures and templates
III. Responsibilities and Oversight Functions (25 minutes)
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Financial reporting and external audit oversight
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Internal control and risk management responsibilities
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Internal audit plan approval, performance, and reporting
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Ethics, whistleblower, and compliance program oversight
IV. Aligning the Charter with Internal Audit Standards
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IIA Standards
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How the charter supports internal audit independence and quality assurance
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Common gaps found in audit committee charters
V. Evaluating and Updating the Charter
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Annual review and self-assessment process
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Using maturity models and benchmarking
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Recommended disclosures and board reporting practices
VI. Q&A and Wrap-Up
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Review of key takeaways
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Participant questions and discussion
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NASBA Program Disclosures
Program Level of Understanding: Basic
Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None
Delivery Format: Group Internet Based
NASBA Field(s) of Study: Auditing
CPE Credits: 2, based on 50 minutes of instruction per hour
Summary of the Subject Matter
The Audit Committee Charters training provides internal auditors with a focused understanding of how audit committees establish, document, and exercise their governance responsibilities. The session examines the essential elements of an effective Audit Committee Charter — including authority, composition, meeting structure, and oversight of financial reporting, risk management, compliance, and the internal audit function.
Participants will review current requirements and expectations under SEC, Green Book, PCAOB, NYSE/Nasdaq, and IIA standards, as well as emerging best practices in corporate governance. Through discussion and case examples, attendees will learn how to evaluate whether an organization’s audit committee charter adequately supports internal audit independence, objectivity, and alignment with the board’s oversight responsibilities.
By the end of this course, internal auditors will be better equipped to assess and recommend updates to their organization’s Audit Committee Charter to strengthen accountability, transparency, and governance effectiveness.