A workshop on “International and Russian practices and principles for pro bono work”, addressed to Regional Business Ombudspersons and their staff, local legal community and public agencies, took place on 16 September 2015 in Irkutsk. The seminar, attended by more than 50 participants, was opened by Aleksey Moskalenko, Business Ombudsman of the Irkutsk region, and Petr Sich, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Russia.

The activity aimed to raise awareness on pro bono services and professional standards in the Russian Federation. On this occasion, the five Business Ombudsmen of the Siberian Federal District from Irkutsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo, Altai and Zabaykalsky, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishing of the Interregional Centre for Public Procedures “Business Against Corruption” which will provide support to the Regional Ombudsmen in case management and sharing of pro-bono resources.