Standards knowledge, expert insight and open professional discussion.
Ask Gareth exists to make standards, assurance and benchmarking requirements easier to understand, discuss and apply in real business situations.
Many organisations know they need to comply with ISO management systems, accreditation expectations, sector frameworks or client assurance requirements, but the language can be technical, fragmented and difficult to translate into practical action.
Standards Knowledge • Expert Insight • Open Discussion
Practical standards understanding, in one open knowledge space
Our platform brings together business owners, directors, compliance managers, consultants, auditors and sector specialists in one open knowledge space.
Visitors can ask questions, read practical explanations and join moderated discussions, while vetted professionals can contribute articles, insight and experience for the wider community.
ISO management systems are the starting point because that is where ParagonQMS has its strongest expertise. However, Ask Gareth is intentionally wider than ISO.
The platform is open to responsible discussion around UK accreditation, health and social care compliance, SOC 1 and SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, environmental and sustainability standards, construction and supplier assurance, and other recognised benchmarking frameworks as community interest grows.
Ask Gareth is not designed to replace professional consultancy, certification, accreditation or regulatory advice. It is designed to help people ask better questions, understand requirements more clearly, learn from credible contributors and connect with the right expertise when more formal support is needed.
Ask practical questions
Raise standards, compliance and benchmarking questions in an open moderated environment where credible answers are encouraged.
Learn from vetted contributors
Read insight from consultants, auditors and sector specialists who have been reviewed before publication.
Explore beyond ISO
Start with ISO management systems, while also supporting accreditation, health, cyber, environmental and sector-specific assurance topics.
Connect with specialists
Join a professional community of quality, HSE, information security, care, sustainability and construction specialists.
Trusted, moderated discussion
Content is moderated to keep discussion professional, relevant and free from misleading or overly promotional claims.
Independent and open
Powered by ParagonQMS, but welcoming to contributors and consultants from across the wider assurance and compliance market.
What GARETH means
GARETH stands for Global Assessments, Regulatory Enquiries and Translation Hub. The name reflects the purpose of the platform: translating formal standards, regulatory expectations, assurance frameworks and benchmarking requirements into practical knowledge that professionals and organisations can use.
ISO-led at launch. Open by design.
These are discussion and knowledge categories, not certification services. The platform will grow into other sectors as community demand and contributor interest develop.
ISO management systems
ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO/IEC 42001 and related standards — the initial editorial focus.
UK accreditation and conformity assessment
UKAS, accredited certification, inspection, testing and competence-related discussion for buyers and providers.
Health and social care compliance
CQC-related themes, governance, quality, risk and care-sector assurance discussions.
Cyber, data and assurance
SOC 1, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, Cyber Essentials Plus, information security and data assurance.
Environmental and sustainability
Environmental management, ESG-related frameworks, carbon, waste and sustainability benchmarking.
Construction and supplier assurance
PQQ, contractor approval, SSIP-style schemes, buyer requirements and supplier compliance.
Other recognised benchmarking standards
Additional sectors will open based on community demand, contributor interest and traffic.
Built for the people who work with standards every day
Business owners and directors
Get practical answers before committing budget to consultancy, certification or a new management system.
Compliance managers
Peer insight and implementation clarity from people who have run the same projects before.
ISO consultants and auditors
A credible platform to share experience, publish thought leadership and build professional profile.
Sector specialists
Work with accreditation, assurance, governance or benchmarking frameworks in a defined sector.
Clients and prospective clients
Plain-English guidance before speaking to a certification body, regulator or consultant.
Training providers and advisers
Assessors, trainers and professional advisers interested in responsible, editorially reviewed contribution.
Membership and contributor model
Free at launch. Open to read, moderated to publish.
Public visitors
Read articles, search questions, view discussions and comment in open discussion areas, subject to moderation.
Registered members
Create a basic profile, follow categories and participate more actively across the community.
Vetted contributors
Submit articles, professional opinions and guidance notes for editorial review before publication.
Consultant and company profiles
Available at launch free of charge. Enhanced and premium options may be introduced later.
Premium membership
May be introduced after the platform has built sufficient traffic and engagement.
Sponsorship and advertising
Sponsored content, advertising boards and banner placements may be offered — always clearly labelled.
Note. Posting comments is open to wider public discussion, but publishing industry articles, professional opinions or promotional service profiles requires registration, vetting and editorial approval.
Trust, moderation and editorial standards
- Contributor credential review before publication rights are granted
- Editorial review for articles and professional opinions
- Moderation of comments and discussions
- Clear sponsor and advertising labelling
- Conflict-of-interest disclosure where appropriate
- No misleading claims, aggressive sales activity or unverified technical advice
- General information only — not client-specific legal, regulatory, accreditation or certification advice
What Ask Gareth is not
- • Not a certification body
- • Not an accreditation body
- • Not a regulator
- • Not a source of client-specific legal or regulatory advice
- • Not an ISO-only closed shop
Powered by ParagonQMS, open to the wider standards community
Ask Gareth is powered by ParagonQMS, but it is designed as an open standards and benchmarking community. ParagonQMS provides the founding direction, quality principles and initial ISO expertise, while the platform remains open to responsible contributors, consultants and sector specialists from across the wider assurance and compliance market.
Independence by design
Contributors and consultants from competing firms are welcome. Sponsored and promotional content is clearly labelled and kept separate from editorial.
Join the conversation around standards, assurance and practical compliance.
Ask a question, explore current topics or apply to become a vetted contributor.