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A role for audit committees in oversight of climate change

There is increased attention being paid to climate change matters by a wide variety of stakeholders. The audit committee’s expertise in financial reporting makes it uniquely well-positioned to support the board in this area.

The Corporate Oversight and Governance Board (COGB) of Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada commissioned Climate Change – A Role for Audit Committees to support audit committee members in their oversight of climate change. While the entire board has a role to play in considering and overseeing management’s assessments related to climate change, the audit committee’s expertise in financial reporting makes it uniquely well-positioned to support the board in this area. This CPA Canada publication is for audit committees of corporations of all sizes. It draws on Audit Committees and Effective Climate Governance, A Guide for Boards of Directors, published by the Canada Climate Law Initiative, which provides best practice guidance, insights, tools, and resources for Canadian audit committees to take a leadership role in effective climate governance.

For more information, please contact Oujala Motala, principal, Research, Guidance and Support.