Iris Cross on BP’s Gulf of Mexico Response
If the person at the center of BP’s new national TV ad looks familiar, it’s because she has done this before
Iris at a glance
In 2010, Iris Cross was one of several BP employees who appeared in a series of ads in which the company committed to clean up and restore the Gulf region after the Deepwater Horizon accident. Now, she’s back with an update on BP’s progress.
In the new ad, debuting after Christmas, the 29-year BP veteran who heads external affairs in Louisiana notes that Gulf beaches and waters are open, all spill-related claims are being paid and the region’s economy is recovering. But she also makes it clear there is still work to do.
“I’m happy to now be able to share our progress and let everyone know that we’re still here and we plan to be in the Gulf Coast for years to come,” Cross said.
Cross, a New Orleans native, has been closely involved in the response effort since the outset of the accident in the spring of 2010.
In the new ad, debuting after Christmas, the 29-year BP veteran who heads external affairs in Louisiana notes that Gulf beaches and waters are open, all spill-related claims are being paid and the region’s economy is recovering. But she also makes it clear there is still work to do.
“I’m happy to now be able to share our progress and let everyone know that we’re still here and we plan to be in the Gulf Coast for years to come,” Cross said.
Cross, a New Orleans native, has been closely involved in the response effort since the outset of the accident in the spring of 2010.
She helped set up 28 community outreach centers across the region, staffed by hundreds of BP employees and volunteers, to aid those affected by the incident.
“When the spill occurred last year, we knew we had to do everything we could to help those impacted,” Cross said.
“We were all working toward the same goal: to ensure we were answering questions, providing information and resources, listening to concerns and sharing that information with our management teams.”
Cross said the new advertisement gives her the opportunity to inform the public about what has been achieved over the past year and a half and BP’s ongoing commitment to the Gulf region.
To date, BP has spent $14 billion responding to the spill as well as paid out more than $7 billion of the $20 billion set aside to help with economic and environmental recovery. In addition, it has pledged $500 million for long-term research on the spill’s impact and $1 billion for early restoration projects.
“We know we still have work to do,” Cross said. “But BP has had a business presence in the Gulf states for a long time, we’ve set aside tens of billions of dollars to fund the recovery and restoration effort, and we plan to be here for years to come.”
“When the spill occurred last year, we knew we had to do everything we could to help those impacted,” Cross said.
“We were all working toward the same goal: to ensure we were answering questions, providing information and resources, listening to concerns and sharing that information with our management teams.”
Cross said the new advertisement gives her the opportunity to inform the public about what has been achieved over the past year and a half and BP’s ongoing commitment to the Gulf region.
To date, BP has spent $14 billion responding to the spill as well as paid out more than $7 billion of the $20 billion set aside to help with economic and environmental recovery. In addition, it has pledged $500 million for long-term research on the spill’s impact and $1 billion for early restoration projects.
“We know we still have work to do,” Cross said. “But BP has had a business presence in the Gulf states for a long time, we’ve set aside tens of billions of dollars to fund the recovery and restoration effort, and we plan to be here for years to come.”
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