What outcome does PCI DSS compliance primarily aim to achieve?

The primary aim of PCI DSS compliance is to protect cardholder data from unauthorized access. This framework was established specifically to create a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. By focusing on the protection of cardholder data, PCI DSS compliance helps to prevent data breaches and fraud, ensuring that sensitive information is safeguarded against theft or misuse.

The other options, while possibly beneficial to an organization in a broader sense, do not encapsulate the core purpose of PCI DSS compliance. Enhancing business profitability, improving employee morale, and reducing marketing costs are important business goals, but they are not the central focus of PCI DSS. The standards primarily exist to establish security measures that specifically address the risks associated with handling cardholder information, thus fostering trust and security in electronic transactions.