Scottish Widows platform integrates Oxford Risk Investor Compass

8 May 2025

Scottish Widows Platform has integrated with Oxford Risk Investor Compass, an end-to-end investment suitability software tool, to help advisers match their clients to tailored investment options. 

Built on advanced behavioural finance technology from Oxford Risk’s team of experts, the tool assesses customers’:

• Financial circumstances and risk capacity, 
• Preferences for responsible investing, 
• Investment knowledge and experience. 

The tool determines an investor’s ‘financial personality’ through psychometric testing, which measures willingness and ability to take investment risk and tracks investors’ emotional resilience throughout the investing journey. An advanced algorithm establishes risk tolerance and capacity, allowing advisers to better understand client behaviours and attitudes towards responsible investing.

These assessments are then brought together in a suitability report which enables advisers to steer their clients towards the most appropriate investments. The tool also provides extensive data and management information for behavioural client segmentation and targeted sales.

This news follows a suite of integrations with third-party systems on Scottish Widows’ Platform since launch, with 16 back-office systems and six new tools and applications already integrated. These enhancements form part of Lloyds Banking Group’s commitment to invest £180m, over three years, in continuous upgrades and innovations for the platform.

Ross Easton, Head of Intermediary Platform Propositions, Scottish Widows commented: “Addressing the advice gap is a top priority for us, and integrating such a well-regarded and pioneering tool as Oxford Risk’s Investor Compass will help advisers improve investor engagement and demonstrate how they can add value for clients. This is the latest integration into the Scottish Widows Platform, part of our broader strategy and commitment to invest in the best technology for our advisers. All our platform integrations and tools support advisers with advanced solutions to make their lives easier, increase productivity, and lead to better client outcomes.”

James Pereira-Stubbs, Chief Client Officer, Oxford Risk said: “We’re delighted that Scottish Widows has chosen to integrate Oxford Risk’s Investor Compass. A comprehensive and behaviourally focussed risk suitability process is crucial in revealing an investor’s willingness and ability – both financial and emotional – to accept risk, whilst being able to know how to personalise communications to support them in taking control of their finances. This tool goes far beyond risk tolerance and onboarding - Investor Compass allows advisers to provide better financial outcomes for investors whilst increasing engagement and evidencing the value of their services.”

Download full press release (PDF, 168KB)

Notes

About Scottish Widows

Founded in 1815, Scottish Widows is part of Lloyds Banking Group, the UK’s largest digital bank and financial services group. With more than £226bn assets under administration and 10 million customers, Scottish Widows’ award‐winning product range includes workplace and individual pensions, annuities, life cover, critical illness and income protection, as well as savings and investment products.

More than 2 million customers access Scottish Widows products and services through the Lloyds Bank and Scottish Widows apps, in addition to accessing directly through independent financial advisers. The Scottish Widows Platform is trusted by more than 18,000 advisers and 5,400 advice firms, that manage the pensions and investments of almost 166,000 clients.

About Scottish Widows Platform

Scottish Widows Platform is an investment services platform for independent financial advisers, offering investment products, innovative technology, and tools designed to simplify and enhance their proposition to clients. The platform is trusted by more than 18,000 advisers and 5,400 advice firms, who manage the pensions and investments of almost 166,000 clients. Scottish Widows Platform is a trading name of Embark Investment Services Limited (EISL), which is part of Embark Group. Embark Group and Scottish Widows are part of the Lloyds Banking Group. 

About Oxford Risk

Founded in 2002 by leading decision science academics from Oxford University, Oxford Risk is a global leader in behavioural finance and financial well-being technology. We combine innovative behavioural finance, data science, quantitative finance, and cutting-edge technology to help your clients make the best financial decisions throughout their lives.