WEST FRASER TIMBER CO. LTD.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE POLICY
Table of Contents:
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE POLICY
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE POLICY (APPENDIX A)
SECURITIES TRADING POLICY (APPENDIX B)
CODE OF CONDUCT
CHARTERS OF BOARD COMMITTEES:
· AUDIT
· GOVERNANCE & NOMINATING
· SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT
· COMPENSATION
POSITION DESCRIPTIONS:
· BOARD CHAIR
· LEAD DIRECTOR
· CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
Approved by the Board on December 8, 2010
General Mandate
To assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the Company’s financial reporting
and audit processes, its system of internal controls and its process for monitoring compliance
with applicable financial reporting and disclosure laws and its own policies.
Responsibilities
The Committee will carry out the following responsibilities:
Financial Statements
- Review significant accounting and financial reporting issues, including complex or unusual
transactions, significant contingencies and highly judgmental areas, and recent professional
and regulatory pronouncements, and understand their impact on the Company’s financial
statements
- Review interim financial reports (including financial statements, management’s discussion
and analysis and related news releases) with management and the auditors, consider whether
they are complete and consistent with the information known to Committee members and
provide a recommendation to the Board with respect to the approval of the interim financial
reports
- Understand how management develops interim financial information, and the nature and
extent of auditor involvement
- Review with management and the auditors the results of the audit, including any difficulties
encountered
- Review the annual financial statements, the annual management discussion and analysis and
related news releases, and consider whether they are complete, consistent with information
known to Committee members, and reflect appropriate accounting principles, and provide a
recommendation to the Board with respect to the approval of the statements, the management
discussion and analysis and the news release
- Review with management and the auditors all matters required to be communicated to the
Committee under generally accepted auditing standards
- Approve, if so delegated by the Board, the interim financial reports and annual financial
statements and the filing of the same together with all required documents and information
with regulators
- Internal Control
- Require management of the Company to implement and maintain appropriate internal control
procedures over annual and interim financial reporting
- Review with management and auditors the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s
internal control over annual and interim financial reporting, including information
technology security and control and controls related to the prevention and detection of fraud
and improper or illegal transactions or payments, the status of the remediation of any
identified control deficiencies, and elicit recommendations for improvements
- Understand the scope of the auditors’ review of internal control over financial reporting, and
obtain and review reports on significant findings and recommendations, including respecting
the Company’s accounting principles or changes to such principles or their application and
the treatment of financial information discussed with management, together with
management’s responses
Audit
- Review the auditors’ proposed audit scope and approach
- Review the performance of the auditors, and provide a recommendation to the Board with
respect to the nomination of the auditors for appointment and remuneration
- Review and confirm the independence of the auditors by obtaining statements from the
auditors on relationships between the auditors and the Company, including non-audit
services, and discussing the relationships with the auditors
- Periodically evaluate the need for the establishment of an internal audit function and make
appropriate recommendations to the Board
Compliance
- Review the effectiveness of the system for monitoring compliance with financial reporting
and disclosure laws and the results of management’s investigation and follow-up (including
disciplinary action) of any instances of non-compliance
- Review the findings of any examinations by regulatory agencies, and any auditor
observations
- Obtain regular updates from management and Company legal counsel regarding compliance
matters
Reporting Requirements
- Regularly report to the Board about Committee activities, issues and related
recommendations
- Provide an open avenue of communication between the auditors and the Board
- Review any reports the Company issues that relate to Committee responsibilities
Other Responsibilities
- Institute and oversee special investigations as needed
- Develop and implement a policy for the approval of the provision of non-audit services by
the auditors and assessing the independence of the auditors in the context of these
engagements
- Establish procedures for: (a) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received
regarding non-compliance with the Company’s Code of Conduct, violations of laws or
regulations, or concerns regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing
matters; and (b) the confidential, anonymous submission by officers or employees of the
Company or by other persons of concerns regarding questionable accounting, auditing or
financial reporting and disclosure matters or non-compliance with the Company’s Code of
Conduct or other matters that are of a sensitive or “whistleblower” nature
- Perform other activities related to this charter as requested by the Board
- Review and assess the adequacy of this charter annually, requesting Board approval for
proposed changes
- Review terms of any Code of Conduct established by the Board and respond to any related
compliance issues
- Confirm annually to the Board that all responsibilities outlined in this charter have been
carried out
Qualifications and Procedures
- The composition of the Committee will comply with applicable laws including requirements
for independence, unrelated to management, financial literacy and audit experience
- The Committee will meet at least four times annually, and more frequently as circumstances
dictate, and the CFO and a representative of the auditors should be available on request to
attend all meetings
- The Committee should meet privately in executive session with representatives of each of
management and of the auditors to discuss any matters of concern to the Committee or such
members, including any post-audit management letter
- Minutes of each meeting should be prepared, approved by the Committee and circulated to
the full Board
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