According to the PwC study, compliance officers report to the audit committee and general counsel at about equal rates. Which option best captures this finding?

• A. Audit committee
• B. General counsel
• C. Both equally
• D. External auditors

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is how the reporting line for the compliance function is structured within a company’s governance framework. The finding from the PwC study shows that compliance officers report to both the audit committee and the general counsel at about the same rate, meaning the oversight is shared rather than exclusive to one governance body.

This is the best way to capture the nuance: the governance model balances independent board-level oversight (audit committee) with the legal and risk-management perspective (general counsel). When reporting to both about equally, organizations signal that compliance sits at the intersection of accountability to the board and integration with legal risk management, rather than being controlled by one channel alone. It also helps maintain independence from day-to-day management while ensuring access to legal resources and counsel.

The other options don’t fit because focusing on a single recipient would miss the “about equal” aspect. External auditors are not described as a direct internal reporting line for compliance officers, since their role is as an independent assurance provider rather than as a governance body to which compliance reports.