Everybody in Moscow has a story of corruption. Traffic tickets, permits, customs. The stories are delivered with resignation “That’s Russia,” I heard more than once. So how do you teach business ethics here? How do I and my client convince their employees that they really are required to do ethically and legally when they have grown up and live in this environment?

The good news is that many of the people who choose to work for a multinational specifically do so because they embrace emerging standards of ethics and corporate responsibility. Codes of Conduct and training help reinforce the choice these key employees who represent the future of the business have made. Well publicized firings of those who don’t live up to expectations is the “stick.”

One of my contacts was given a choice to live up to standards or down to demands right before I arrived. He could have paid 3000 roubles ($100) to quickly get clearance for my wireless voting equipment. Or he could make several trips to the airport and fill out multiple forms. He chose the latter.

What do you think most people would do?

Moscow travel ideas:
Take the subways. They are clean, often beautiful, and the trains run every two minutes. Memorize the first three letters of your destination, unless your knowledge of the Russian alphabet is better than mine. If you are not on a strict budget, two restaurants run by the same person offer Russia only experiences. Café Pushkin was the first, serving upscale Russian in an “old apothecary” environment. Next door is Turandot. The owner reputedly spent $50 Million USD creating this indescribable space. A little Versailles, a little Shanghai opium den, and a lot of new Russian money. The centerpiece is a two story rotunda with beautiful molding twisting its way up to the center of the domed ceiling. The food may not be worth the money, but the experience is.