Emma Watson

The gender equality campaign #HeForShe, which gained widespread attention in September, is taking on a corporate hue, reports CNNMoney.

The United Nations-backed campaign went viral last year on Twitter after actress Emma Watson made an impassioned speech calling on everyday men and women to work toward a fairer society where males and females are treated as equals.

Three major companies recently pledged to support the movement at an event in Davos, Switzerland: consumer goods giant Unilever NV, Tupperware Brands Corp. and global professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Political leaders, including the president of Sierra Leone and the prime ministers of Sweden and the Netherlands, also signed on.

In her September speech, Watson noted that it is expected to take 75 years for the gender pay gap to close, unless action is taken.

Universities are also being encouraged to join the campaign.