After stating for 40 years that the primary obligation of business is to shareholders, in 2019 the Business Roundtable - comprised of 181 of the United States' biggest companies - released a new statement that corporations have 'a fundamental commitment to all of our stakeholders'. Evaluate the Business Council's statement from Milton Friedman's perspective: What, if anything, would Friedman think is wrong with the Business Roundtable's statement? Is it right to issue this statement?

This is Business Roundtable 's commitment:

• Delivering value to our customers. We will further the tradition of American companies leading the way in meeting or exceeding customer expectations.
• Investing in our employees. This starts with compensating them fairly and providing important benefits. It also includes supporting them through training and education that help develop new skills for a rapidly changing world. We foster diversity and inclusion, dignity and respect.
• Dealing fairly and ethically with our suppliers. We are dedicated to serving as good partners to the other companies, large and small, that help us meet our missions.
• Supporting the communities in which we work. We respect the people in our communities and protect the environment by embracing sustainable practices across our businesses.
• Generating long-term value for shareholders, who provide the capital that allows companies to invest, grow and innovate. We are committed to transparency and effective engagement with shareholders.