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Mayrik have established security and commercial partners in many countries where cultural and business etiquette is critical to the development and success of business deal's, in order to help our clients progress their business opportunities we would like to share the information below with you, please click on the map points highlighted for an insight into the business etiquette of the countries we and our partners, have experience in.

Mayrik, helping our clients by understanding the differences and bridging the gaps

Russia

Introduction

The Russian Federation has over 150 million people, and covers an area of greater than 6,592,800 sq. mi. The country has gone through many changes in recent years, as communism ended in 1991. At that time, the U.S.S.R. as it was called separated into independent states. This separation ended the communism reign that had lasted from 1917 to 1991.

Religion in Russia

Orthodox Christianity is Russia’s traditional and largest religion, deemed part of Russia's "historical heritage" 95% of the registered Orthodox parishes belong to the Russian Orthodox Church while there are a number of smaller Orthodox Churches however, the vast majority of Orthodox believers do not attend church on a regular basis, nonetheless, the church is widely respected by both believers and nonbelievers who see it as a symbol of Russian heritage and culture.

Smaller Christian denominations such as Roman Catholics, Armenian Gregorian and various Protestants exist.

The ancestors of many of today’s Russians adopted Orthodox Christianity in the 10th century.

Approximately 100 million citizens consider themselves Russian Orthodox Christians, amounting to 70% of population, 63% considered themselves Russian Orthodox, 5% considered themselves Muslim and less than 1% considered themselves either Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant or Jewish.

It is estimated that Russia is home to 14 million people of traditionally Muslim ethnicity Russia also has an estimated 3 million to 4 million Muslim migrants from the ex-Soviet states.

Most Muslims live in the Volga-Ural region, as well as in the North Caucasus, Moscow, St. Petersburg and western Siberia. Buddhism is traditional for three regions of the Russian Federation, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia

Some residents of the Siberian and Far Eastern regions, practice pantheistic and pagan rites along with the major religions.

Appearance

Businessmen in Russia usually wear suits that are dark and well tailored along with good dress shoes. A businessman’s wardrobe demonstrates the individual’s image as a professional.
Men often do not take off their jackets in negotiations.
Do not stand with your hands in your pockets. This is considered rude.
Women dress rather conservatively, avoiding overly flashy or gaudy outfits.
Women should always cover their heads when entering into any Russian Orthodox Churches.
Skirts should be worn rather than pants.
When attending dinner in a citizen’s home, casual dress of slacks and a nice shirt without a tie are appropriate.

Behaviour

As a foreigner, you are expected to be on time to all business appointments. However, your Russian counterpart may be late, as this may be a test of your patience. Do not expect an apology from a late Russian, and do not demonstrate any kind of attitude if your business appointments begin one or two hours late. This may also be a test of your patience.
Social events are more relaxed. It is acceptable for foreigners to be 15 to 30 minutes late.
Patience is an extremely important virtue among Russians; punctuality is not.
Russians are known as great "sitters" during negotiations, this demonstrates their tremendous patience.
The U.S.S.R. was officially an atheist nation in the days of communism. Now, however, participation in religion in increasing, with many citizens practicing Protestantism, Islam, Russian Orthodoxy, and Judaism.
Some 'hard-line' Russians still view compromise as a sign of weakness, and often refuse to back down. To these individuals, compromising is bad business.
As a foreigner, you should realize that "Final Offers" are often not actually the end of the negotiations and that often times the outcome will be more beneficial and attractive if you can hold out.
There is a Russian term meaning "connections" or "influences. It is extremely difficult to do business in Russia without help from a local. To help with this, gifts, money or other items are often a good idea when doing business in Russia.
If attending dinner at a family residence, it is appropriate to bring a gift, such as a bottle of wine, dessert, or a bouquet of flowers.
When shaking hands with someone, be sure to take off your gloves, as it is considered rude not to.
When attending any formal engagements such as the theatre, it is appropriate to check your coat and other belongings at the front door of the establishment.
Do not show the soles of your shoes, as this is considered impolite. They are considered dirty, and should never come in contact with any type of seat (like on a subway or bus).
Be sure to have plenty of business cards with double sides of information. One side should be printed in English, the other side in Russian.
Be alert and open to taking a drink or having a toast, as refusing to do so is a serious breach of etiquette.

Communications

Russian is the official language.
Speaking or laughing loudly in public is considered rude, as Russians are generally reserved and sombre.
Many Russians speak English, as it is often taught beginning in the third grade.
Russians are highly literate, and have almost a 100% literacy rate.
Good topics of conversation include peace, the current changes taking place in Russia, and their current economic situation