Accredited certification under ISO 14001 refers to certification that has been issued by a certification body that is itself accredited by a national accreditation body. This provides formal recognition that the certification body is competent to perform audits and issue certifications in accordance with ISO/IEC 17021 standards.
According to guidance in ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training materials and ISO/IEC 17021, one of the key benefits of accredited certification is:
“Recognition of the credibility, impartiality, and technical competence of the certification process and the certification body issuing the certificate.”
This recognition:
Increases stakeholder confidence (e.g., regulators, clients, the public),
Supports market access and tender qualifications,
Confirms that audits are performed in accordance with international best practices.
Option D correctly reflects the most strategic and system-level benefit of accredited certification.
The other options (A, B, and C) may result indirectly or are not directly linked to the purpose of accreditation.
[Reference:, ISO/IEC 17021:2015 – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, ISO 14001 Lead Auditor Course Guide – Module on Certification and Accreditation, ISO 14001:2015 – Clause 3.1.1 & 3.1.2 (definition of EMS and system credibility), ]
