“The Unstereotype Alliance, which will be launched at Cannes Lions, an industry conference in France, is a partnership between U.N. Women and several major global companies, including Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Mattel and Diageo. Facebook, Google and Twitter have also signed on, as well as major ad agencies WPP and IPG.

“Every day, hundreds of millions of people around the world are exposed to the communications our industry creates,” said Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP. “That influence can either be used to reinforce negative stereotypes or to set new standards of empowerment and equality.”

The new initiative is the brainchild of Unilever, which committed itself to ridding its own advertising of sexist stereotypes last year, most notably by revamping marketing of Axe body spray.”