Shareholder value is no longer the main focus of some of America's top business leaders.

The Business Roundtable, a group of chief executive officers from major U.S. corporations, issued a statement Monday with a new definition of the "purpose of a corporation."

The reimagined idea of a corporation drops the age-old notion that corporations function first and foremost to serve their shareholders and maximize profits. Rather, investing in employees, delivering value to customers, dealing ethically with suppliers and supporting outside communities are now at the forefront of American business goals, according to the statement.

"While each of our individual companies serves its own corporate purpose, we share a fundamental commitment to all of our stakeholders," said the statement signed by 181 CEOs. "We commit to deliver value to all of them, for the future success of our companies, our communities and our country."

The conscience of Wall Street has been at the forefront of American business and politics recently as issues about economic equality and fair business practices dominate the 2020 election stage and the overall news cycle.

The Business Roundtable, founded in 1972, has put out many statements on the principles of corporate governance since the late 1970s. It said this new definition "supersedes" past statements and outlines a "modern standard for corporate responsibility."

"The American dream is alive, but fraying," Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of J.P. Morgan Chase and chairman of Business Roundtable, said in a press release.

Along with Dimon, the statement received signatures from chiefs including Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, Bank of America's Brian Moynihan, Dennis A. Muilenburg of Boeing and GM's Mary Barra.

"Major employers are investing in their workers and communities because they know it is the only way to be successful over the long term. These modernized principles reflect the business community's unwavering commitment to continue to push for an economy that serves all Americans," said Dimon.

Another one of the signatures is from BlackRock chief Larry Fink, who has previously called on CEOs to reevaluate the purpose of a corporation, specifically the "inextricable link" between purpose and profit.

"Purpose is not the sole pursuit of profits but the animating force for achieving them," Fink wrote in his 2019 annual letter to shareholders. "As divisions continue to deepen, companies must demonstrate their commitment to the countries, regions, and communities where they operate, particularly on issues central to the world's future prosperity."

Fink said that fundamental economic changes and the failure of the U.S. government to provide lasting solutions has forced society to look to companies for guidance on social and economic issues, such as environmental safety and gender and racial equality.