Five years after the Business Roundtable's 2019 statement redefining corporate purpose, little has changed in the landscape of corporate governance. Prominent CEOs like Jamie Dimon and Warren Buffett have advocated for a shift from a short-term profit focus to a more inclusive stakeholder capitalism. However, the enduring influence of the 1997 shareholder primacy doctrine, rooted in Milton Friedman's ideology, continues to shape corporate behavior [d7b719b1]. Despite the Business Roundtable's promises, studies indicate that many of its CEOs laid off employees during the COVID-19 pandemic while prioritizing shareholder interests over workforce stability. This has led to skepticism regarding the sincerity of the Business Roundtable's commitment to change, with many viewing the 2019 statement as a public relations maneuver rather than a genuine shift in corporate philosophy [d7b719b1].
While corporate profits have soared during this period, worker wages have stagnated, exacerbating income inequality and raising questions about the true beneficiaries of this economic growth. Furthermore, the Business Roundtable continues to lobby against regulations and tax reforms that could provide significant benefits to workers, reinforcing the perception that their focus remains on maintaining corporate power rather than fostering a fairer economic landscape [d7b719b1].