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Formed in 2007 and affiliated with the AICPA, the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ) is devoted to enhancing investor confidence and public trust in the global capital markets. Focused exclusively on public company auditing, the CAQ carries out this mission in three primary ways:

  • Fostering high quality performance by public company auditors;
  • Convening and collaborating with other stakeholders to advance the discussion of critical issues requiring action and intervention; and
  • Advocating policies and standards that promote public company auditors' objectivity, effectiveness, and responsiveness to dynamic market conditions.

The CAQ is an autonomous, nonpartisan, and nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Supported by a membership of US accounting firms registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the CAQ is led by a Governing Board made up of CEOs from leading public company auditing firms and the AICPA, as well as independent representatives from key communities: audit committees, investors, and academics.

CAQ Executive Director Julie Bell Lindsay oversees a team that includes CPAs and experts in public policy, professional practice, research, stakeholder engagement, communications, and operations.

The CAQ provides a wealth of resources—such as reports, research, comment letters, webcasts, symposia, and technical alerts—for auditors and other key players in the financial reporting supply chain. Visit the CAQ's website to find these resources and to learn more about its policy work, collaborative efforts, and initiatives.