Conventional wisdom and research link productivity to overall competitiveness. Unfortunately, Latin America is lagging behind developed countries in productivity by wide margins: in Mexico, 2,100 hours a year per worker generates a GDP of $10,000 while in Germany, 1,400 hours a year per worker generates a GDP of $38,000. At CEMEX, the role of HR is significant and can create compelling competitive advantages. HR-driven productivity solutions can be leveraged in the short- and medium-term and are quantitative in nature, all the more important for today’s CEO. This session will highlight CEMEX’s ongoing productivity initiatives including connecting engagement to productivity, implementing creativity initiatives that foster continuous improvement and more disruptive innovation, and productivity programs based on the participation of union employees.