By Lou Caruana

January 14, 2019 - Peabody Energy is encouraging women to apply for mining positions at its coal mining operations as part of its strategy to encourage diversity within the company’s workforce.

It points to its chief financial officer Amy Schwetz and last year's outstanding tradeswoman for the New South Wales Women in Mining Awards Hana Newbury as examples of leading women in the company.

Hana Newbury, left, was named Outstanding Tradeswoman at the New South Wales Women in Mining Awards in early 2018.

"Strategies to recruit, engage and develop women in mining, an industry that has predominantly and historically employed men, is a focus for Peabody across our operations and administrative offices," it said.

"It has long been recognised that diversity of background and thought advances innovation, creativity and collaboration, and that inclusion practices contribute to a more satisfactory work environment," it said. 

"Our recruiting process is designed to attract a diverse applicant pool and give full and equal consideration to all applicants while selecting candidates based on the necessary job requirements for the role."

Peabody said it welcomed the growing role of women in the coal industry and commend team members who weres honored for their roles as leading women in their fields.