Peabody Energy.
BTU.US | Mining of hard coal
Peabody Energy Corporation is a global coal mining company. It engages in the mining, processing, and sale of coal, primarily supplying metallurgical coal to steel manufacturers and thermal coal to electric utilities. The company operates through various segments, including seaborne metallurgical mi...Show More
Better Health for All
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Peabody Energy's core business of coal mining and sale has severe, widespread negative health impacts. Communities near a proposed peaker plant, which would generate electricity, exhibit higher rates of cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke, linked to air pollution.
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This plant is projected to emit 51,000 tons of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants annually.
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Consequently, 90-100% of the company's revenue is derived from products with scientifically established serious health harms. Regarding health externalities, Peabody Energy pleaded guilty to two pollution events in 2022, resulting in coal-contaminated water flowing into waterways, causing ecological harm, and incurring a $500,000 penalty, including $1.5 million in structural upgrades.
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The proposed peaker plant's projected emissions contribute to major health-harming externalities and significant community health impacts, with the state not requiring a full environmental or health impact review.
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Furthermore, there was a significant lack of transparency regarding the proposed peaker plant, as the community only learned about the project in 2021, six years after its initial proposal in 2015, indicating incomplete risk disclosures.
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Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
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Peabody Energy is a coal mining company, and the provided articles do not contain information relevant to its performance on financial services or economic opportunity for underserved populations. There is no evidence regarding customer financial services, lending practices, fee structures, financial literacy initiatives, or wealth-building outcomes for consumers. While some articles mention community engagement and donations to universities, these do not align with the specific definitions of 'community finance' or 'profit-sharing with underserved communities' as required by the 'profit_reinvestment' KPI, nor do they relate to other financial service-specific KPIs. Therefore, no KPIs under the 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' value can be scored based on the given evidence.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
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Peabody Energy's CEO-to-median employee pay ratio was 57:1 in 2024, with CEO James C. Grech's total compensation at $6,972,468 and median employee pay at $122,326.
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Employee reviews on Glassdoor indicate an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, with 72% of employees recommending working at Peabody.
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While pay and benefits are generally viewed positively, employee comments also highlight concerns about long hours, inconsistent management, and a high turnover rate.
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Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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No usable evidence was available from the provided article to assess Peabody Energy against the Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing value. The article content was corrupted and could not be processed.
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Honest & Fair Business
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Peabody Energy has a Sustainalytics ESG risk score of 46, placing it in the 'Severe' category
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and ranking 130 out of 280 companies in its industry.
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The company operates a robust 'Tell Peabody' 24/7 anonymous hotline for employees, vendors, and contractors, with global phone numbers for the US, Australia, China, and the UK.
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This policy explicitly prohibits retaliation, complies with Australian Corporations Act requirements, and allows reporting to external bodies like Ernst & Young and ASIC.
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Annual refresher training is provided, and investigation outcomes are regularly reviewed by the board.
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Seven of Peabody's eight directors (87.5%) are independent under NYSE rules, and all members of the Audit, Compensation, Nominating and Corporate Governance, and Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Committees are independent.
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Furthermore, Peabody maintains a comprehensive Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, applicable globally to all operations, subsidiaries, and third parties.
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This policy strictly prohibits commercial bribery and facilitation payments, requires accurate record-keeping, and complies with major international anti-corruption laws.
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It also mandates annual anti-corruption training for salaried employees, includes due diligence and monitoring of third parties, and requires pre-authorization for political contributions.
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Kind to Animals
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Peabody Energy engages in significant land reclamation and conservation initiatives. In 2023, the company restored over 3,200 acres
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and has restored one acre for every acre disturbed over the past five years
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. These efforts include creating wildlife habitat, rangeland, forests, farmland, and wetlands
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. Specific initiatives include constructing new mine shaft openings for endangered bats
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and contributing $220,000 to a Southern Stuttering Frog reintroduction program
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. Reclamation at North Antelope Rochelle Mine increased wildlife habitat and livestock grazing
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. The Kayenta Mine received a Distinction in Reclamation Award
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, with reclaimed land used for animal grazing and cultural plant use
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. However, Navajo groups initiated a lawsuit in 2019 alleging Peabody failed to notify regulators about the impending closure of the Kayenta Mine
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, which relates to reclamation obligations. The company's coal mining operations do not involve animal testing, animal agriculture, or the use of animal-derived ingredients, making other animal welfare KPIs not applicable.
No War, No Weapons
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The provided articles do not contain any specific, concrete data points or information relevant to Peabody Energy's involvement in arms manufacturing, military contracts, conflict facilitation, or related activities. Both articles explicitly state that no quantitative data or discussion of arms sales, conflict minerals, or other metrics related to the 'No War, No Weapons' value is present.
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Planet-Friendly Business
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No specific, quantifiable evidence was found in the provided articles to score the company against the defined KPIs for Planet-Friendly Business. Information regarding absolute emissions, renewable energy consumption percentage, water usage per revenue, or the exact nature of environmental compliance violations in relation to rubric thresholds was not available.
Respect for Cultures & Communities
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Peabody Energy has formal agreements with Indigenous peoples for 4 Australian operating mines and non-operating sites.
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In 2023, the company made a decision to leave the Rocky Hill complex undisturbed, preserving cultural heritage.
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Peabody also conducts cultural heritage assessments and consultations with Indigenous stakeholders in both Australia and the US, and contributed $10,000 to Barada Barna's NAIDOC events in Central Queensland, commissioning artwork by an Aboriginal artist.
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Safe & Smart Tech
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Peabody Energy reported no data breaches resulting in loss of privacy, data, or company information for customers or employees in 2023.
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Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
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The provided articles, including Peabody Energy's sustainability reports, explicitly state that no data is available regarding waste diversion, product recyclability, packaging sustainability, recycled content, single-use plastic reduction, take-back programs, circular design, waste reduction initiatives, hazardous waste management, product durability, repairability, waste audit frequency, zero-waste certification, waste disposal violations, material efficiency, packaging-to-product ratio, waste reduction targets, supplier waste requirements, or customer waste education
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. Therefore, no assessment can be made against the Zero Waste & Sustainable Products value.