Why Accreditation Isn’t the Silver Bullet You Think It Is…

Accreditation: the shiny badge everyone loves to show off. It’s sold as the ultimate proof of quality, a golden ticket to trust and credibility. But here’s the inconvenient truth—it’s not. Accreditation isn’t a magic wand that guarantees results. It’s a stamp on a checklist, not a promise of impact.

Let’s be real. Accreditation organizations measure how well you follow their cookie-cutter rules. Did you tick all the boxes? Great, here’s your badge. But what does that actually mean? That you can fill out forms? That your PowerPoint slides have the right format? None of that tells you if the effort was worth it, if it resonated, or if it changed anything.

Secondly, accreditation bodies often operate from a one-size-fits-all perspective. What works in one market or industry may not work in another. For example, a training program that’s accredited in the U.S. might miss the nuances of the Southeast Asian context entirely. It’s a measurement of compliance and persistence, not quality.

And might we add that the accreditation industry (because that is what it is!) amounts to  hundreds of billions of dollars annually. If you want to get rich, come up with a new model and then let people pay to get accredited in your model!

Finally, let’s not ignore the cost—time, money, energy. Chasing accreditation is a distraction. Instead of listening to clients, testing new ideas, or focusing on what works, you’re buried in bureaucracy. For what? A logo on your website? A LinkedIn post with 6 likes?

Accreditation gives organizations a false sense of security. “They’re accredited, so they must be good.” Wrong. That shiny badge is not a guarantee that the program delivers real, measurable outcomes. It’s just shiny.

At No-Nonsense Management, we don’t chase stamps or play the checkbox game. We focus on results. Does it work? Does it make a difference? That’s what matters. If that’s what you’re looking for, let’s talk and click the Contact button!