In the Darwinian struggle for global manufacturing orders, the “Wal-Mart price” has generally been short-hand for shaving production costs to the bare minimum.

But on Wednesday in Beijing, Lee Scott, Wal-Mart’s chief executive, will tell hundreds of the company’s top Chinese suppliers that the retailer intends to use its market power to get more than just low prices – at a “sustainability summit” devoted to raising standards in its vast supply chain.