Training
Adidas, Ivan the Terrible, and the Beko Cultural Code
In the fall of 2024, compliance training sessions were held at all of our company’s locations in Russia: at Beko’s plants in Kirzhach and IHP in Lipetsk, as well as at the office in Moscow. Beko’s Legal Department team assisted employees in learning the basics of corporate culture, understanding the nuances of legal standards and requirements, and improving the efficiency of business processes.
"Traditional training events, typically delivered in lecture format, are full of complex terminology and often ineffective, with only about 10% of the information being retained. In contrast, training sessions and seminars where participants are engaged in practical tasks and receive a positive emotional boost allow for material retention rates of 50-75%", said Maxim Mikhailov, Regional Director for Legal Affairs at Beko for Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. "We've previously held such training sessions in Moscow and received excellent feedback. While it was a new experience for our employees in Kirzhach, judging by the feedback, the unconventional approach to legal topics helped our colleagues actively and enthusiastically explore the compliance topic, which was new to many. The case studies incorporated cinematic plot devices: the legendary comedy 'Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession' and the modern series 'The Word of a Patsan' about the wild 90s. Our wonderful Lavinia Khachatryan crafted an engaging narrative for the training content from business cases gathered by the legal department, inspiring the team to conduct unconventional, costumed, and theatrical training sessions.
Cultural code
What does compliance mean? There are many definitions of this concept, but one of the most widely accepted online is: "Compliance is a system that helps companies adhere to the law and mitigate risks associated with legal violations, avoiding legal and reputational issues."
"The term 'compliance' is literally translated into Russian as 'соответствие,'" explained Lavinia Khachatryan, Senior Legal Counsel at Beko. "However, the meaning of this concept is much broader. It encompasses the company's cultural code, the standards that all employees must follow both at work and in life. It doesn't matter which country you live in, what city you're from, or what your educational background and experience are. We are all united by these values, and we carry them with us not only in our daily work activities but also during our vacations and family time. This is the ecosystem we create and live in.
Decisions driven by business ethics, in line with Russian and international legal requirements, should be made automatically – not out of fear of sanctions for violations, but because individuals genuinely embrace these principles. It is precisely these training events that help us immerse ourselves in the culture of compliance with corporate values.
Compliance training became especially popular internationally in the 2000s. Traditionally, legal departments have been responsible for these programs. After a series of corruption scandals in Europe involving major globally recognized companies, international standards for compliance control were developed. These standards now help establish transparent economic policies and provide an objective assessment of actions from both an ethical and legal perspective.
"It was important for us to hold the training in a fresh and engaging format to involve as many colleagues as possible in this exciting journey of fostering corporate culture and compliance within the company. We plan to continue with this initiative and make it an annual event", said Lavinia Khachatryan.
Here’s an example of a case study and questions for the training participants, with an Old Russian flair:
What does compliance mean? There are many definitions of this concept, but one of the most widely accepted online is: "Compliance is a system that helps companies adhere to the law and mitigate risks associated with legal violations, avoiding legal and reputational issues."
"The term 'compliance' is literally translated into Russian as 'соответствие,'" explained Lavinia Khachatryan, Senior Legal Counsel at Beko. "However, the meaning of this concept is much broader. It encompasses the company's cultural code, the standards that all employees must follow both at work and in life. It doesn't matter which country you live in, what city you're from, or what your educational background and experience are. We are all united by these values, and we carry them with us not only in our daily work activities but also during our vacations and family time. This is the ecosystem we create and live in.
Decisions driven by business ethics, in line with Russian and international legal requirements, should be made automatically – not out of fear of sanctions for violations, but because individuals genuinely embrace these principles. It is precisely these training events that help us immerse ourselves in the culture of compliance with corporate values.
Compliance training became especially popular internationally in the 2000s. Traditionally, legal departments have been responsible for these programs. After a series of corruption scandals in Europe involving major globally recognized companies, international standards for compliance control were developed. These standards now help establish transparent economic policies and provide an objective assessment of actions from both an ethical and legal perspective.
"It was important for us to hold the training in a fresh and engaging format to involve as many colleagues as possible in this exciting journey of fostering corporate culture and compliance within the company. We plan to continue with this initiative and make it an annual event", said Lavinia Khachatryan.
Here’s an example of a case study and questions for the training participants, with an Old Russian flair:
- What must be checked before sending out a promotional mailing?
- Under what circumstances is it acceptable to visit a consumer’s home?
- What is the company required to do when contacted by an angry customer after such an attack?
You would agree, solving such problems is really interesting!
In practice: Breaking the Mold
In Kirzhach, the training participants were greeted by representatives of the Legal Department in traditional Russian folk costumes. The stage outfits, kindly provided by the Kirzhach music school, helped create the atmosphere of Ancient Rus.
The adventure began with an introduction to the mythical "Beko" collective, which, from ancient times, was famous for producing shaitan-machines and set out to make a technological revolution by creating an automatic washing board with a detector to find the second lost foot wrapping.
Then, the training participants were divided into groups. Each group had to solve practical tasks related to production, purchasing components, product delivery, advertising, competition, employee bonuses, industrial safety, and more.
In Kirzhach, the training participants were greeted by representatives of the Legal Department in traditional Russian folk costumes. The stage outfits, kindly provided by the Kirzhach music school, helped create the atmosphere of Ancient Rus.
The adventure began with an introduction to the mythical "Beko" collective, which, from ancient times, was famous for producing shaitan-machines and set out to make a technological revolution by creating an automatic washing board with a detector to find the second lost foot wrapping.
Then, the training participants were divided into groups. Each group had to solve practical tasks related to production, purchasing components, product delivery, advertising, competition, employee bonuses, industrial safety, and more.
In Lipetsk and Moscow, the organizers and their assistants greeted the guests in Adidas tracksuits, which were popular in the 90s. It took some effort to gather enough of them. In the recreated 90s reality during the training, Beko introduced a unique washing machine to the market, one that apparently is still awaited worldwide – with a detector for finding a missing sock.
The tasks in Kirzhach, Moscow, and Lipetsk were similar. The only difference was the overall style and plot framework; the essence of the cases and issues was the same. And, of course, the rhetoric matched the historical eras represented.
It was so far from boring. The participants were joking, smiling, and being creative. The training not only allowed them to master rather complex legal topics in an engaging and playful way, but also helped with team building and gave employees the chance to get to know each other better.
It was so far from boring. The participants were joking, smiling, and being creative. The training not only allowed them to master rather complex legal topics in an engaging and playful way, but also helped with team building and gave employees the chance to get to know each other better.
Team work
In Turkey, Beko conducts annual compliance training sessions. In the Russian subsidiaries, these events are also regularly included in the corporate event plan. In total, more than 600 people – employees from four factories and the Moscow office – participated in the training.
"After the training, we asked all the participants to provide an objective evaluation of the event. The survey was conducted anonymously", commented Maxim Mikhailov. "To calculate the results, we used the familiar Net Promoter Score (NPS) metric, which asks a simple yet telling question: 'Would you recommend this training to your colleagues?' The results were very positive. The training received a score of 78% in the survey, which indicates an extremely high level of satisfaction and demonstrates leadership. Notably, most of the survey respondents not only gave high ratings, but also expressed their gratitude and suggested holding similar training sessions in the future. We took all feedback into account. It was very gratifying to receive such positive responses. We are pleased that we were able to provide our colleagues with valuable knowledge and a boost of positive energy!"
In Turkey, Beko conducts annual compliance training sessions. In the Russian subsidiaries, these events are also regularly included in the corporate event plan. In total, more than 600 people – employees from four factories and the Moscow office – participated in the training.
"After the training, we asked all the participants to provide an objective evaluation of the event. The survey was conducted anonymously", commented Maxim Mikhailov. "To calculate the results, we used the familiar Net Promoter Score (NPS) metric, which asks a simple yet telling question: 'Would you recommend this training to your colleagues?' The results were very positive. The training received a score of 78% in the survey, which indicates an extremely high level of satisfaction and demonstrates leadership. Notably, most of the survey respondents not only gave high ratings, but also expressed their gratitude and suggested holding similar training sessions in the future. We took all feedback into account. It was very gratifying to receive such positive responses. We are pleased that we were able to provide our colleagues with valuable knowledge and a boost of positive energy!"
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