THE ethical promises made by food retailers about the sourcing of their products have received some attention in Australia recently.
But the world's biggest food retailer, Walmart, has been taking some interesting steps on a slightly wider scale.
Business leaders have long been stressing to governments that certainty on emissions targets and the methods to manage their costs is critical for investment.
With the current impasse, many major corporations are making their own headway and defining their own strategy, regardless of country-to-country action.
Now, much of this may well be an elaborate extension of their corporate sustainability strategies - positioning itself "to be seen as green" to add value to its corporate reputation.
Walmart came out with a major announcement along these lines recently.
It announced it would eliminate 20 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years.
The size of Walmart gives these numbers an element of shock and awe - it is the same (they say) as taking 3.8 million American guzzlers off the road in that time.
But, if it did nothing, this figure represents a 150 per cent growth in Walmart's emissions over that same period.
The immense task involves committing their 100,000 suppliers to cuts in their carbon footprints. About 10,000 of these are in China.
While China has always put environmental priorities well behind its short-term prosperity, Walmart's challenge is sure to push businesses and farmers through the hoops.
It is trying to establish its own revolution to lead the Chinese consumer to choice and give it a better kudos in the US where it depends on the lower unit value of Chinese labour.
Right now "quality" is one of the big drivers wrapped into the supplier initiative and the recent melamine scare highlights the issue for the Chinese consumer.
There is little doubt that pollution and environmental harm will threaten China's future growth and the awareness of climate change is becoming critical to its people.
But meeting the promise will be tough.
The Walmart model is firmly based on a commitment to "everyday low prices" in all its markets.
In its US home market, this model has attracted major criticism for its labour and environmental standards.
An industry of watchers track the company's progress in these areas and one day the ethical standards will attach greater value in shopper choice.
But such standards come at a cost to the consumer, retailer and retail suppliers.
Who will wear the lion's-share of those costs will be interesting to see as the Chinese growth engine splutters and the western world recovers.
