Honorary graduates 2018

Ruth Hunt (LLD)

Monday 16 July 2018 9:00am

Ruth Hunt is the Chief Executive of Stonewall. Since taking office in 2014, she has secured Stonewall's place as the leading lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality charity, overseeing a 50 per cent increase in the charity's income and the steady growth of its structure.

Ruth has redefined Stonewall's role as a charity, taking it from one that enables change to one that empowers others to make change happen. Under her leadership, Stonewall's programmes and the way they are delivered have been refined to ensure they create sustainable, powerful grassroots activism, both here and abroad.

Ruth has spearheaded Stonewall's commitment to trans equality. After careful consultation with trans communities, she created the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group to ensure integration of trans equality across all of Stonewall's campaigns and programmes was both authentic and trusted. This year, A Vision for Change was launched. This five-year strategy sets out how Stonewall will help achieve legal and social equality for trans people across all areas of their lives.

Ruth has also established Stonewall as a leading voice on international LGBT equality. The charity now delivers groundbreaking international empowerment programmes in some of the world's most hostile countries, and has created a strategic forum of multinational companies that can influence international government and hold them to account. Stonewall is also a major influencer on UK Government and its approach to international LGBT issues, ensuring the UK is an informed and effective world leader for LGBT equality.