Audit Committee
("Company")
CHARTER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Amended and Restated by the Board of Directors on November 11, 2009
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I. Purpose
The Audit Committee (the "Committee") is appointed by the Board of Directors (the "Board") to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The Committee's primary duties and responsibilities are to:
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Monitor the integrity of the Company's financial statements, financial reporting processes, systems of internal controls regarding finance, and disclosure controls and procedures.
- Select and appoint the Company's independent auditors, pre-approve all audit and non-audit services to be provided, consistent with all applicable laws, to the Company by the Company's independent auditors, and establish the fees and other compensation to be paid to the independent auditors.
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Monitor the independence and performance of the Company's independent auditors and internal audit function.
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Establish procedures for the receipt, retention, response to and treatment of complaints, including confidential, anonymous submissions by the Company's employees, regarding accounting, internal controls, disclosure or auditing matters, and provide an avenue of communication among the independent auditors, management, the internal audit function and the Board of Directors.
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Prepare an audit committee report as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.
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Monitor the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
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The Committee has the authority to conduct any investigation appropriate to fulfilling its responsibilities, and it has direct and confidential access to the independent auditors as well as officers and employees of the Company. The Committee has the authority to retain, at the Company's expense, special legal, accounting or other consultants or experts it deems necessary in the performance of its duties. The Company shall at all times make adequate provisions for the payment of all fees and other compensation, approved by the Committee, to the Company's independent auditors in connection with the issuance of its audit report, or to any consultants or experts employed by the Committee.
II. Structure and OperationsComposition and Qualifications
The Committee shall be comprised of three or more directors as determined by the Board, each of whom shall be determined by the Board meet the independence and experience requirements of the SEC, the New York Stock Exchange and the Corporate Governance Guidelines of the Board (as each may be modified, supplemented or superseded). All members of the Committee shall have a basic understanding of finance and accounting and be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements of the sort published by the Company at the time of their appointment to the Committee, and at least one member of the Committee shall have accounting or related financial management expertise and qualify as an "audit committee financial expert" in accordance with the requirements of the SEC and other applicable rules (as may be modified, supplemented or superseded).
No Director may serve as a member of the Committee if such Director serves on the audit committee of more than two other public companies.
Appointment and RemovalCommittee members shall be appointed by the Board on the recommendation of the Nominating Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. A Committee member shall serve until such member’s successor is duly appointed or until such member’s earlier resignation, death or removal. The members of the Committee may be removed, with or without cause, by majority vote of the Board.
ChairmanIf a Committee Chair is not designated by the Board, the members of the Committee may designate a Chair by majority vote of the Committee members.
MeetingsThe Committee shall meet at least four times annually, or more frequently as circumstances dictate. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Chairman of the Board or any member of the Committee may call meetings of the Committee. All meetings may be held telephonically. The Committee may act by unanimous written consent, when deemed necessary or desirable by the Committee or its Chair.
The Committee shall meet privately in executive session at least four times annually with management, the manager of internal auditing, the independent auditors, and as a committee to discuss any matters that the Committee or each of these groups believe should be discussed. In addition, the Committee, or at least its Chair, shall communicate with management and the independent auditors quarterly to review the Company's financial statements and significant findings based upon the independent auditors' review procedures.
The Committee may request any officer, employee of the Company, or the Company's counsel to attend a meeting of the Committee or to meet with any member of, or consultants to, the Committee.
The Chair of the Committee, with input from the other members of the Committee as well as the Chief Financial Officer, the General Counsel, the Internal Audit Group, the Risk Mitigation Group and the independent auditor, shall develop the agenda for each Committee Meeting.
Subcommittees
The Committee shall not be authorized to create any subcommittees.
III. Audit Committee Responsibilities and Duties
Review Procedures
1. Review the Company's annual audited financial statements prior to filing or release, including the Company's disclosures under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Review should include discussion with management and the independent auditors of significant issues regarding critical accounting estimates, accounting principles, practices and judgments, including, without limitation, a review with the independent auditors of any auditor report to the Committee required under rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (as may be modified, supplemented or superseded). Review should also include review of the independence of the independent auditors (see item 11 below) and a discussion with the independent auditors of the conduct of their audit (see item 12 below). Based on such review, determine whether to recommend to the Board that the annual audited financial statements be included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2. In consultation with management, the independent auditors and the internal auditors, consider the integrity of the Company's financial reporting processes and controls. Discuss significant financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor, control and report such exposures. Review significant findings prepared by the independent auditors and the internal audit function together with management's responses. Review any significant changes to the Company's auditing and accounting policies. Resolve disagreements, if any, between management and the independent auditors.
3. Review with financial management and the independent auditors the Company's quarterly earnings releases and financial statements prior to filing or release, including the use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” non-GAAP information. The Committee may designate a member of the Committee to represent the entire Committee for purposes of this review.
4. Review any exceptions to the certifications required of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer in connection with the filings of annual and quarterly financial statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
5. Periodically review and discuss financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies. The Committee may designate a member of the Committee to represent the entire Committee for purposes of this review.
6. Review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter at least annually and submit any recommended changes herein to the Board at its fourth regularly scheduled meeting in each year. Submit the Charter to the Board of Directors for approval and cause the Charter to be approved at least once every three years in accordance with the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange (as may be modified, supplemented or superseded).
Independent Auditors
7. The Company's independent auditors are directly accountable to the Committee and the Board of Directors. The Committee shall review the independence and performance of the independent auditors, annually appoint the independent auditors and approve any discharge of auditors when circumstances warrant.
8. The Committee shall set clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors.
9. Approve the fees and other significant compensation to be paid to the independent auditors.
10. Approve the independent auditors' annual audit plan, including scope, staffing, locations and reliance upon management and the internal audit function.
11. On an annual basis, review and discuss with the independent auditors all significant relationships the auditors have with the Company that could impair the auditors' independence. Such review should include receipt and review of a report from the independent auditors regarding their independence consistent with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526 (as may be modified, supplemented or superseded). All engagements for non-audit services by the independent auditors must be approved by the Committee prior to the commencement of services. The Committee may designate a member of the Committee to represent the entire Committee for purposes of approval of non-audit services, subject to review by the full Committee at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Company's independent auditors may not be engaged to perform prohibited activities under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission.
12. Prior to filing or releasing annual financial statements, discuss the results of the audit with the independent auditors, including a discussion of the matters required to be communicated to audit committees in accordance with SAS 114 (as may be modified, supplemented or superseded). Prior to filing or releasing quarterly unaudited financial statements, discuss the independent auditors matters required to be communicated to audit committees in accordance with SAS 100 (as may be modified, supplemented or superseded).
13.Obtain from the independent auditors assurance that Section 10A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (which requires the independent auditor, if it detects or becomes aware of any illegal act, to assure that the Committee is adequately informed and to provide a report if the independent auditor has reached specified conclusions with respect to such illegal acts) has not been implicated.
14. Consider the independent auditors' judgment about the quality and appropriateness of the Company's accounting principles, including acceptable alternatives and critical accounting estimates as applied in its financial reporting.
Internal Audit Function and Legal Compliance
15. Review the budget and activities of the Company's internal audit function, audit plans, procedures and result, and coordination with independent auditors. Regularly review the continued overall effectiveness of the internal audit function as required under relevant law and the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange.
16. Review significant reports prepared by the internal audit department together with management's response and follow-up to these reports.
17. Review reports received by the Company's Risk Mitigation Group with respect to complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, disclosure controls and procedures, auditing matters or violations of the Company's Code of Ethics (as defined in the Company's Code of Business Conduct for Members of the Board of Directors and Executive Officers)(collectively, "Complaints").
18. On at least an annual basis, review with the Company's counsel, any legal matters that could have a significant impact on the Company's financial statements, the Company's compliance with applicable laws and regulations and inquiries received from regulators or governmental agencies.
19. Review and assess at least annually the Company's Code of Ethics, recommend changes in the Code of Ethics as conditions warrant and confirm that management has established a system to monitor compliance with the Code of Ethics by officers and relevant employees of the Company.
20. Review management's monitoring of the Company's compliance with the Code of Ethics, and confirm that management has a review system in place to maximize the likelihood that the Company's financial statements, reports, other financial information and disclosures disseminated to governmental organizations and the public satisfy applicable legal requirements.
21.Facilitate and review, as appropriate, the Company's procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of Complaints received by the Company from (a) Company employees through the Company's Risk Mitigation Group or (b) Company employees or others through confidential, anonymous submission(s) to a post office box (or confidential e-mail) directly to the Chair of the Audit Committee.
22. Confirm that any action requested by the Chair in respect of any alleged Complaint has been taken as requested by the Committee.
23. Serve as the Board's qualified legal compliance committee pursuant to which an attorney for the Company may report purported evidence of a material violation of securities law, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Company or one of its agents.
Other Audit Committee Responsibilities
24. Annually prepare the report to shareholders as required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission to be included in the Company's annual proxy statement.
25. Review and approve all related-party transactions.
26. Perform any other activities consistent with this Charter, the Company's bylaws and governing law, as the Committee or the Board deems necessary or appropriate.
27. Maintain minutes of meetings and periodically report to the Board of Directors on significant results of the foregoing activities.
28. The Committee shall be evaluated through the annual evaluation process conducted by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.
Limitation of Audit Committee’s Role
While the Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, it is not the duty of the Committee to conduct audits or to determine that the Company's financial statements are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Management is responsible for the Company’s financial reporting process, including its system of internal controls, and for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Management is also responsible for assuring compliance with laws and regulations and the Company's corporate policies, subject to the Committee’s oversight in the areas covered by this Charter. The independent auditors are responsible for expressing an opinion on those financial statements.
Committee members are not employees of the Company or accountants or auditors by profession or experts in the fields of accounting or auditing. They rely, and are entitled to rely, on management’s representation that the financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with GAAP and on the representations of the independent auditors included in their report on the Company’s financial statements.
The Committee’s oversight does not provide it with an independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles or policies, or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with GAAP and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the Committee’s considerations and discussions with management and the independent auditors do not assure that the Company’s financial statements are presented in accordance with GAAP or that the audit of the Company’s financial statements has been carried out in accordance with GAAP.
- Member
- Chair
- Financial Expert
- Independent Director