Why is maintaining data integrity important for organizations?

Maintaining data integrity is crucial for organizations because it ensures reliability and trust in decision-making processes. When data integrity is upheld, the data remains accurate, consistent, and trustworthy throughout its lifecycle. This reliability is essential for making informed decisions, as stakeholders depend on correct information to guide their actions. If data is compromised or corrupt, it can lead to erroneous conclusions and potentially harmful decisions, undermining the organization's objectives and reputation.

The other options highlight aspects that may seem relevant but do not directly relate to the core importance of data integrity. For example, while data redundancy can contribute to data availability, it does not inherently ensure that the data remains accurate or reliable. Similarly, reducing the need for data backups or facilitating faster data retrieval may provide operational efficiencies but do not address the foundational necessity for data integrity in decision-making processes.