Where standards questions get honest, credible answers.
Ask Gareth is a free, moderated Q&A community for ISO, UK accreditation and sector compliance — with editorially reviewed articles and a vetted Consultant Directory. Powered by ParagonQMS, open to the wider standards community.
What GARETH means
GARETH stands for Guidance, Answers, Resources, Expertise — a Trusted Hub. GARETH represents what the community is designed to provide: practical guidance, credible answers, useful resources and professional expertise within a trusted cross-sector hub.
One open knowledge space for the questions standards work really throws up
Business owners, compliance managers, consultants and sector specialists already answer the same questions in silos. Ask Gareth pulls that knowledge into one open, moderated place.
ISO management systems are the starting point because that is where ParagonQMS has the strongest expertise — but Ask Gareth is intentionally wider than ISO. UK accreditation, health and social care, SOC 1/2 and Cyber Essentials, environmental and sustainability, construction and supplier assurance all sit inside scope as the community grows.
Ask Gareth is not a replacement for professional consultancy, certification or regulatory advice. It is how you ask better questions, understand requirements more clearly and find the right expertise when formal support is needed.
Ask practical questions
Raise standards, compliance and benchmarking questions in an open moderated environment.
Learn from vetted contributors
Read insight from consultants, auditors and sector specialists reviewed before publication.
Trusted, moderated discussion
Content is moderated to keep discussion professional, relevant and free from misleading claims.
Independent and open
Powered by ParagonQMS, and welcoming to contributors across the wider assurance market.
One place where practitioners, consultants and organisations answer each other's real questions.
ISO-led at launch. Open by design.
These are discussion and knowledge categories, not certification services. The platform grows into other sectors as community demand and contributor interest develop.
ISO management systems
ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001, 22301, IEC 42001 and related standards.
UK accreditation and conformity assessment
UKAS, accredited certification, inspection, testing and competence.
Health and social care compliance
CQC themes, governance, quality, risk and care-sector assurance.
Cyber, data and assurance
SOC 1, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, information security and data assurance.
Environmental and sustainability
Environmental management, ESG frameworks, carbon, waste and sustainability benchmarking.
Construction and supplier assurance
PQQ, contractor approval, SSIP-style schemes and buyer requirements.
Other recognised benchmarking standards
Additional sectors open based on community demand and contributor interest.
Built for the people who work with standards every day
Business owners and directors
Practical answers before committing budget to certification or consultancy.
Compliance managers
Peer insight from people who have run the same projects before.
ISO consultants and auditors
A credible platform to share experience and build professional profile.
Sector specialists
Assurance, governance or benchmarking specialists in a defined sector.
Clients and prospective clients
Plain-English guidance before speaking to a certification body or regulator.
Training providers and advisers
Assessors, trainers and advisers interested in reviewed, responsible contribution.
Membership and contribution
Free at launch. Open to read, moderated to publish.
Public visitors
Read articles, search questions and join open discussions, subject to moderation.
Registered members
Create a profile, follow categories and participate more actively across the community.
Vetted contributors
Submit articles, opinions and guidance notes for editorial review before publication.
Consultant profiles
Directory listings are available at launch free of charge. Enhanced options may follow.
Note. Posting comments is open to wider public discussion, but publishing articles, professional opinions or promotional profiles requires registration, vetting and editorial approval.
How AI is used on Ask Gareth
Transparency about where a response comes from, and what it is not.
Ask Gareth uses AI-assisted first responses to help start useful discussions quickly. Responses may be reviewed, improved or challenged by moderators, contributors and sector specialists. High-risk or specialist questions may be held for review before publication.
Ask Gareth is a professional discussion platform. It is not a substitute for legal, regulatory, certification, medical, financial or other specialist professional advice.
Trust, moderation and independence
- Contributor credential review before publication rights are granted
- Editorial review of articles and professional opinions
- Moderated discussions and clear sponsor labelling
- Conflict-of-interest disclosure and no misleading claims
- General information only — not client-specific legal or regulatory advice
What Ask Gareth is not
- • Not a certification, accreditation or regulatory body
- • Not a source of client-specific legal or regulatory advice
- • Not an ISO-only closed shop
Powered by ParagonQMS, open to all
ParagonQMS provides founding direction, quality principles and initial ISO expertise. Contributors and consultants from competing firms are welcome. Sponsored content is clearly labelled and kept separate from editorial.
Your next standards question is probably one someone else has already answered.
Ask it in the open, learn from vetted contributors, and help the next person who hits the same wall.