1. The “purpose of a corporation” just changed.

The chief executives of nearly 200 of the nation’s largest companies pledged to revise the longstanding principle that shareholder interests come first.

In a statement issued by their association, Business Roundtable, the executives — including all those pictured above — said companies must also invest in employees, deliver value to customers, deal fairly and ethically with suppliers and support local communities.

The move was seen as both a recognition of corporate evolution and a tacit acknowledgment of the scrutiny companies are facing.