Bristol-based Flexys leads the way to ethical debt recovery alongside local universities. -

It might not be the most glamorous area of research but the way creditors collect the money owed to them can affect us all at some point in our lives. At the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) Future Space innovation hub, fintech company Flexys is using advice from academics at Bristol University's Personal Finance Research Centre (PFRC) and working with UWE Bristol's Computer Science and Creative Technologies Department to change the way customers in debt can manage their arrears. Guidance from the Financial Conduct Authority and other regulators requires creditors to identify vulnerable consumers and ensure they are treated fairly. Flexys has consulted with experts at the PFRC on how to best identify and engage with customers in difficulties, bringing a more collaborative approach to debt repayment via its Collaborate digital solution. Jamie Evans of the Personal Finance Research Centre says "We've really enjoyed and benefited from our informal collaboration with Flexys. Their team has shown a real thirst for our research. We feel this demonstrates that they are eager to use such knowledge to design systems focused on the needs of a wide range of people, not just'typical' consumers."