sustainability-16-11147
sustainability-16-11147
sustainability-16-11147
1 The Faculty of Mechanics, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Plytinės Street 25,
LT-10105 Vilnius, Lithuania; augustinas.maceika@vilniustech.lt
2 The Faculty of Fundamental Sciences, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio Ave. 11,
LT-10223 Vilnius, Lithuania; olga-regina.sostak@vilniustech.lt
* Correspondence: andrej.bugajev@vilniustech.lt
† These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract: The intensification of human activities and the escalating impact of climate change have
increased the probability of disasters, making it important to develop sustainable development
scenarios that consider potential disaster consequences. However, disasters are indirectly represented
in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and often overshadowed by other topics. This study
focuses on disaster effects in the context of sustainable development. We conducted a sociological
survey with 30 respondents from Lithuanian companies, half of which were large manufacturing
enterprises, and found that only 37% had encountered sustainable development and disaster man-
agement issues, with a similar proportion actively developing related scenarios. Although external
stakeholders often participate, 57% of the respondents indicated that their company acts indepen-
dently on these matters. Large companies rated their disaster preparedness higher (3.5/5) than SMEs
(2.9/5) or micro-companies (2.8/5). Rapid response and liquidation of disaster consequences was
deemed more important (4.5/5) than risk management and resilience-building scenarios (3.8/5).
Using correlation and mutual information analyses, we uncovered linear and non-linear dependen-
cies, showing that psychological stress among employees negatively correlates with the importance
assigned to SDGs during disasters. Additionally, we demonstrated how generative AI tools, such
as ChatGPT, can transform survey results into tailored scenarios. These findings provide practical
Citation: Maceika, A.; Bugajev, A.; insights and methodologies for enhancing organizational resilience and sustainability, even with
Šostak, O.R. Enhancing limited resources.
Organizational Resilience: Sustainable
Development Scenarios Incorporating Keywords: sustainable development; disaster management; scenario generation; artificial
Disaster Impacts and AI Tools. intelligence; ChatGPT; prompt engineering; sustainable development goals; disaster preparedness;
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147. mutual information analysis; Lithuanian manufacturing companies
https://doi.org/10.3390/su162411147
severely disrupt progress towards these goals, highlighting the need to integrate disaster
risk management directly into sustainable development planning [4,5].
While general instruments that increase catastrophe reactions are unquestionably
important [6], scenario analysis plays a crucial role in planning and managing the elimina-
tion of the consequences of disasters and emergencies [4]. However, developing sustainable
development scenarios that account for disaster impacts remains a labor-intensive and
resource-demanding process. This challenge is particularly acute for organizations in
developing countries, which often lack the necessary resources to conduct thorough sce-
nario analyses and incorporate long-term perspectives into disaster risk management [7].
Additionally, the complexities of long-term changes and multiple actors make disaster risk
reduction inherently challenging, requiring the incorporation of uncertainties and dynamic
factors into risk assessments [5]. As a result, there is a significant gap in the ability of these
organizations to prepare for and respond to crises effectively.
This research aims to address these challenges by identifying and analyzing the
critical factors that influence sustainable development scenarios in the context of disaster
risk. Through a combination of a literature review and sociological surveys conducted
among organizational employees, this study explores the key drivers of disaster resilience
and their interactions. Furthermore, the study investigates the potential of leveraging
modern artificial intelligence tools, such as large language models and conversational
agents, to streamline the scenario development process. By demonstrating how AI can be
used to enhance scenario planning, this research offers innovative solutions for resource-
constrained organizations, as pursued in other research [8], where conversational AI in the
form of a chatbot was utilized for disaster risk reduction.
The remainder of this paper is structured as follows. In Section 2, we provide the
background of the research. Section 3 describes the methodology of the research. Section 4
presents the results obtained from the survey and application of the analysis methodology.
Finally, Sections 5 and 6 are dedicated to the discussion and conclusion. Additionally, we
provide Appendices A–C with ChatGPT prompts and a full correlation coefficient heatmap.
2. Identifying drivers of change in the external environment that could affect the com-
pany’s competitive position.
3. Exploring likely patterns of evolution for these drivers of change.
4. Building the scenarios’ plots and narratives.
5. Analyzing the industry and market structure that would prevail in each scenario.
6. Identifying emerging sources of competitive advantage.
7. Generating and evaluating options for strategic action.
Shell developed scenarios at three levels:
• Global Scenarios: Exploring forces in the global macro-environment, including politics,
economy, society, ecology, technology, and demographics.
• Focused Scenarios: Addressing each business sector and geographic area based on the
global scenarios.
• Project Scenarios: Investigating specific investment projects with detailed information
on competitors, profitability, and risks.
These scenarios enabled Shell to anticipate changes and adapt its strategies accord-
ingly. For instance, in the early 1990s, Shell’s global scenarios focused on drivers such
as globalization and liberalization, outlining alternative futures to guide the strategic
decisions [9].
However, critiques have emerged regarding the effectiveness of Shell’s scenario plan-
ning. Zalik [10] argues that Shell’s scenarios often reflect the company’s preferred outcomes,
potentially overlooking less favorable but plausible futures. In “Scenarios to 2025”, devel-
oped by Shell, three futures were presented—“Low-Trust Globalization”, “Open Doors”,
and “Flags”. From these scenarios, the “Open Doors” scenario was clearly the preferred
option, offering stronger economic growth over time [10].
Jefferson [11] further critiques Shell’s scenario planning, highlighting issues such as
over-reliance on a few individuals without ensuring adequate succession, logical inconsis-
tencies, and failures to anticipate critical events like the oil price collapse in the mid-1980s.
He points out that considering a scenario as “unsustainable and unsuitable” when it ac-
curately describes future events is a logical absurdity. Moreover, Shell’s abandonment of
medium-term scenarios compounded the strategic errors in planning.
In response to claims that scenario planning is a “black box”, Jefferson [12] defends
the transparency of Shell’s scenario planning process. He argues that the inner workings
of scenario development are fully revealed—a “clear box evaluation”—and that evidence
of openness is available for those willing to engage with it. He further emphasizes that
developing and applying alternative scenarios can help to highlight opportunities and
challenges, assess realism, and explore compatibility with the Sustainable Development
Goals [13].
These discussions underscore the complexities and challenges inherent in scenario
planning within organizations. They highlight the need for robust methodologies that effec-
tively capture uncertainties and inform strategic decisions without bias toward
preferred outcomes.
2.2. Scenario Planning for Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction
Scenario planning has also been applied extensively in the context of sustainable
development and disaster risk reduction. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
set by the United Nations provide a comprehensive framework for global development,
but integrating disaster risk management into these goals remains a challenge. Even
the existing standards for smart community infrastructure cannot meet the new reality
requirements [14]; thus, there is a need to adapt them to meet the SDGs.
Scenario planning has been studied by authors who have focused on selected strategic
research directions, applying various research methods. One such work is by Ameli et al. [15],
which examines how the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted the implementation
of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Iran. Using a fuzzy cognitive map
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 4 of 39
to specify cause–effect links among interdependent SDGs, they analyze the potential
effects of the pandemic on SDG achievement. They develop scenarios corresponding to
five proposed strategies and test them under different pandemic activation levels. Their
findings indicate that applying certain strategies at high activation levels can mitigate
the impact of COVID-19 on the SDGs, highlighting the importance of integrating disaster
considerations into sustainable development planning.
Similarly, Cernev [16] explore the effects of crossing planetary boundaries and global
catastrophic risk (GCR) events on disaster risk reduction efforts and international devel-
opment targets. Through scenario analysis, they develop distinct futures for humanity
and Earth under different levels of GCR and planetary boundary transgressions. They
identify scenarios such as “Earth Under Uncertainty”, “Global Collapse”, “Stable Earth”,
and “Earth Under Threat”, emphasizing that, without direct action, the world may be on
a pathway toward the “Global Collapse” scenario. Their work underscores the need to
integrate planetary boundaries and GCR considerations into international development
goals and disaster risk reduction frameworks.
Examples of scenarios that study the environment of a company in the context of urban
development are relevant to our topic. For example, Fang et al. [17] address the complex
interactions between urbanization and the eco-environment in China’s Beijing–Tianjin–
Hebei urban agglomeration. They develop the Urbanization and Eco-environment Coupler
(UEC), a system dynamics model that simulates the non-linear relationships between
various elements. By creating comprehensive scenarios combining different policies and
technical support levels, they identify paths to sustainable regional development. Their
results suggest that improving technical and political support is key to guaranteeing
sustainable development rather than further restricting urbanization.
In our work, we examine scenario planning to achieve the SDG goals in a rapidly
changing environment. Useful insights in this area are provided by Aguiar et al. [18],
who propose a novel approach to co-design global target-seeking scenarios by capturing
multiple and contrasting perspectives on pathways to achieving the SDGs. Recognizing
that implementing the SDGs requires coordinated actions across local, national, regional,
and global levels, they emphasize the importance of including diverse perspectives from
various scales and geographic regions. Their methodology involves a multi-stakeholder
process that captures global perspectives through a review of existing scenarios, gathers
sub-global perspectives, and analyzes the convergences and divergences between these
viewpoints. In their case study of the African Dialogue on The World in 2050, they uncover
divergent themes—such as urbanization, population growth, agricultural practices, and
the roles of different actors—that challenge the underlying assumptions of the existing
global sustainability scenarios, highlighting the necessity of incorporating local and re-
gional nuances into global scenario planning. Similarly, Wilts and Britz [19] underscore the
critical need for detailed disaggregated data to effectively assess progress toward the SDGs.
They develop an SDG indicator framework for dynamic Computable General Equilibrium
models, incorporating 68 endogenous indicators related to 15 SDGs with household-level
detail based on a micro-simulation. Applying this framework in a global analysis focusing
on selected low- and lower-middle-income countries, they find significant sustainability
gaps by 2030 and 2050, especially in the environmental domain. Their analysis reveals
that trade-offs exist among and within SDGs, as well as across different socioeconomic
pathways. Notably, they observe increasing inequality over time for several indicators,
regardless of the average aggregate household developments, pointing to the need for
targeted redistribution and compensation policies. Together, these studies emphasize that
achieving the SDGs requires not only capturing diverse perspectives in scenario plan-
ning but also incorporating detailed, disaggregated data to understand distributional
impacts and trade-offs. By integrating multiple scales of perspectives [18] and detailed
socioeconomic data [19], policymakers and researchers can develop more nuanced and ef-
fective strategies for sustainable development that account for inequalities and the complex
interplay between different SDGs.
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 5 of 39
Since our research focuses on the national level, Allen et al.’s [20] study that reviews
and assesses quantitative models that have the potential to support national develop-
ment planning for the SDGs is important for us. They develop a typology and inven-
tory of 80 different models and highlight gaps in the model capabilities for analyzing
all the SDG targets within a single framework. They suggest that combining top-down
macro-framework models with bottom-up sectoral models provides a robust approach for
analysis and decision-making, enabling policymakers to explore trade-offs and synergies
among sectors.
Academic institutions that have links with industrial companies can also significantly
contribute to sustainable development. In this field, Beynaghi et al. [21] focus on the role of
universities in advancing sustainable development. They systematically analyze the impli-
cations of the sustainable development trends and the future directions that universities
might take under a potential second decade of Education for Sustainable Development
(2015–2024). By projecting the current trends into the future, they frame possible future
orientations through three unique scenarios: a socially oriented university, an environmen-
tally oriented university, and an economically oriented university. Each scenario entails
fundamental changes affecting the university’s mission, focus areas, disciplines, view of
Education for Sustainable Development, external partners, projects, geographical focus,
and main functions involved. Their work provides conceptual and practical instruments for
scholars, university leaders, and policymakers to consider strategically how these futures
might be realized.
These studies collectively demonstrate the critical role of scenario planning in ad-
dressing sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. They highlight the im-
portance of integrating disaster considerations into development planning, involving
multiple stakeholders, and capturing diverse perspectives to create comprehensive and
effective scenarios.
systematically manage qualitative data and derive scenarios. This supports our assertion
that a thorough understanding of influential drivers and the robust evaluation of scenarios’
feasibility are crucial. Ultimately, addressing these challenges—clear goal-setting, com-
prehensive data gathering, viable option selection, detailed scenario construction, and
strong stakeholder coordination—can guide organizations toward more effective scenario
planning, even in complex and resource-constrained contexts.
analyses and model-based evaluations can inform strategic interventions that extend
beyond immediate disaster effects and support informed scenario development.
While direct application of AI in scenario planning is not extensively covered in the
provided literature, according to the authors of the current article, there is potential for AI
tools, such as large language models and conversational agents, to facilitate communication,
enhance data analysis, and support the generation of detailed scenarios. These technologies
might help organizations to overcome resource constraints by automating aspects of the
scenario development process and providing accessible platforms for stakeholder engage-
ment. Especially, it is important because, according to existing research [27], there is a need
to address the lack of control over governance that prioritizes financial performance and
the company’s contribution to a sustainable future.
2.7. The Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Scenario Planning and Disaster Management
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI and conversa-
tional agents, presents a significant opportunity to enhance scenario planning and disaster
management practices. Traditional scenario planning often relies heavily on expert judg-
ment and may struggle to account for the complexity of future uncertainties [30]. The use
of AI can address some of these limitations by automating data analysis.
Hao et al. [30] explore the potential integration of AI techniques into scenario planning,
identifying applications in plan generation, scenario generation, and plan evaluation. They
argue that AI can think creatively and unconventionally, sometimes generating scenarios
beyond human imagination; to briefly justify this claim, we can refer to the famous example
of the “Move 37” made by AlphaGo Lee. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data
to identify patterns and trends that may not be immediately apparent to human planners.
This capability can significantly expand the scope and depth of scenario planning, enabling
organizations to better prepare for adverse future scenarios.
Moreover, AI models such as deep learning and reinforcement learning excel at cap-
turing implicit and dynamic interactions within complex systems [30]. In the context of
disaster management, these models can simulate the impacts of various disaster scenarios
on infrastructure, supply chains, and communities. If organizations successfully incorpo-
rate AI into scenario planning and achieve high-quality results, they can enhance their
resilience by identifying vulnerabilities and testing the effectiveness of different strategies
within a range of conditions.
Cheng et al. [31] demonstrate the practical application of AI in disaster management
through a human–AI teaming workflow for estimating post-disaster debris volume and
composition. Their approach leverages drones for rapid data collection and utilizes AI
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 8 of 39
models alongside crowdsourcing to detect damaged buildings and assess the damage levels
based on aerial imagery. By connecting building the damage states to the generated debris,
they provide efficient and accurate debris estimations, reducing the time required from
days to hours and minimizing the predictive uncertainty by up to 40%. This case study
underscores how AI can support rapid decision-making and resource allocation in disaster
response efforts.
Furthermore, the use of conversational AI agents, such as ChatGPT, holds promise for en-
hancing knowledge dissemination and decision support in technical fields. Hostetter et al. [32]
evaluate the performance of ChatGPT and early version of Google’s Bard in handling
fire-safety-related queries. They find that ChatGPT demonstrates relatively superior per-
formance, providing detailed and correct responses to technical questions. While noting
limitations such as potential biases and inaccuracies, the authors suggest that, as chatbot
technology matures, it could revolutionize engineering practices by providing instant
access to critical information.
These existing advancements by other authors highlight the potential of AI, particu-
larly generative AI and conversational agents, to transform scenario planning and disaster
management. By leveraging AI’s capabilities, organizations could potentially overcome
resource constraints, improve the accuracy of their predictions, and enhance their capacity
to prepare for and respond to disasters while pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals.
where Cov( X, Y ) is the covariance between X and Y, and σX and σY are the standard
deviations of X and Y, respectively.
A correlation matrix was constructed, with each element representing the correlation
coefficient between two variables. The resulting matrix is symmetric (rij = r ji ) and pro-
vides a straightforward way to assess pairwise linear dependencies. Variables with high
absolute correlation values (|r | > threshold) indicate a strong linear relationship. This
analysis is particularly useful for identifying variables that co-vary in a straightforward,
proportional manner.
The correlation matrix was visualized as a heatmap, where the color intensity corre-
sponds to the strength of the correlation.
where p( x, y) is the joint probability mass function of X and Y, and p( x ) and p(y) are their
marginal probability mass functions.
Unlike correlation, MI does not assume linearity, making it sensitive to a broader range
of relationships. The resulting MI matrix is symmetric (MI( X, Y ) = MI(Y, X )) and provides
a general measure of dependency. However, interpreting MI values can be challenging as
the scale of MI depends on the entropy of the variables.
To address the lack of clear interpretability, we implemented a null model approach to
establish a significance threshold for MI values. This approach is less commonly used but
provides a robust statistical basis for interpreting MI.
Table 1. Cont.
4. Results
The study involved 30 respondents from Lithuanian companies. The companies’
requests were selected focusing primarily on large businesses. The survey respondents
who were selected as specialists are familiar with making strategic decisions within the
company or have an opinion on strategic issues. Part of the survey was distributed via
email. Around one-third of the candidates responded to the requests. The other data
were collected from participants during university-organized events for manufacturing
and/or engineering companies. The majority of the respondents were engineers and
designers (37%), followed by directors, department heads, and managers (33%). The
rest were scientists (7%), as well as salespeople, marketing staff, and employees from
other specialties (23%). Most of the respondents (90%) had higher education qualifica-
tions. We provide mean values along with standard deviation values for all the responses
in Appendix C.
Regarding the size of the companies, half of the respondents (50%) were from large
companies, 23% from small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs), and 27% from micro-
companies. The primary activities of the surveyed companies were manufacturing (60%),
while the rest specialized in construction, transport, sales, science, and fishing. There-
fore, the results of our study are more reflective of large companies, particularly in the
manufacturing sector.
When asked whether they had encountered issues regarding sustainable development
and disaster management, 37% of the respondents indicated that they had, 47% said they
had not, and the remaining 16% had no opinion on the matter. Similarly, 37% of the
respondents indicated that their company develops sustainable development and disaster
response scenarios (i.e., there are official documents declaring this within the company),
33% said their company does not, and the rest had no opinion.
According to the respondents’ answers, it is rare for companies to proactively en-
gage in sustainable development and disaster prevention initiatives on their own. While
external stakeholders like the state, suppliers, consumers, and other interested parties
often participate in these processes, 57% of the respondents indicated that, in practice,
only the company itself is involved in addressing issues of sustainable development and
disaster management.
Regarding disaster preparedness, representatives of large companies rated their com-
panies higher (3.5 points out of 5 possible) compared to representatives of small- and
medium-sized companies (2.9 points) and micro-companies (2.8 points). The responses
were rated on a scale from 1 (very bad) to 5 (very good).
The conducted studies showed that respondents from large companies assess their
organizations’ preparedness for disasters better than representatives of small- and medium-
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 13 of 39
sized or micro-companies. Some differences are also visible (see Figure 1) in the assessment
of the SDGs in the context of disasters. For example, the representatives of micro-companies
assessed the importance of gender equality, climate action, industry, innovation, and infras-
tructure nearly one point lower. The majority of the respondents from all the companies
surveyed agreed that one of the most important SDGs is clean water and sanitation. They
similarly assessed good health and well-being, the absence of hunger, life on land and
below water, and responsible consumption as important factors.
The average ratings of the suitability of possible scenario types for disaster manage-
ment were similar in large-, small-, and medium-sized companies. In micro-companies,
these ratings were somewhat lower. “Rapid response and liquidation of disaster conse-
quences” was rated as the most important scenario. Other highly evaluated scenarios
included “securing supply chains”, “attracting and mobilizing stakeholders”, and “tempo-
rary accommodation of residents” (see Figure 2).
Figure 1. The importance of different SDGs for sustainable development in the context of disaster
management.
Figure 2. The estimation of the relevance of possible scenario types for managing catastrophes.
C1 1
C1 6
C1 1
C1 1
C1 1
B2 1
B2 1
B2 1
B2 1
B2 7
B2 1
B2 8
B2 9
B2 1
B2 1
B2 1
B2 3
B3 6
B3 2
B3 8
B3 4
B3 1
.5
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
C1
Figure 4. Partial heatmap of correlations between scores for different questions.
As shown in Figure 4, one cluster identified via hierarchical clustering (using Ward’s
method) includes the questions from group C: financial losses, destruction in the company,
death of employees, psychological stress of employees, legal disputes, and damage to
reputation. This indicates a tendency among the respondents to evaluate these questions
similarly, either increasing or decreasing their scores collectively. Notably, “psychological
stress of employees” was the least correlated with the other items in this cluster.
Additionally, the fourth column in the heatmap shows a negative correlation between
the scores from C1.16 psychological stress of employees and the scores from group B, which
includes the SDGs’ importance scores. This suggests that those respondents who reported
more frequent occurrences of psychological stress tended to rate sustainability factors
as less important during disasters. This finding highlights the potential significance of
stress-reducing measures in supporting sustainability-related initiatives. We hypothesize
that psychological challenges may reduce employees’ motivation to focus on long-term
goals, such as achieving SDGs.
Figure 5 presents the heatmap of the mutual information (MI) scores. The questions
were filtered using the null model approach described in Section 3.1.2. The significance
threshold for the 0.99 percentile was estimated as 0.467, and only questions with at least
one MI score exceeding this value are shown.
Unlike linear correlation coefficients, MI highlights logical dependencies, such as
the relationships between assessments of equality-related SDGs (e.g., B2.10 and B2.5) or
between assessments of “Life below water” and “Life on land” SDGs (B2.14 and B2.15,
respectively). Questions B3.1 and B3.5 are strongly related to each other in both the
correlation and MI matrices. We observed that the score for “Securing supply chains” (B3.5)
is a very good predictor, showing high MI scores with B3.1, B3.4, and B3.8.
There could be a potential informational overlap when we consider questions B3.5
and B3.1 as the mutual information between B3.5 and B3.1 is very high. Therefore, we
could assume that we might leave out either question B3.5 or B3.1 in the survey without
significant loss of information since they provide similar insights. However, since the
mutual information between B3.1 and B3.8 is much lower (slightly above 0.99 percentile
significance threshold 4.67) than between 3.5 and 3.8, the question score from B3.1 offers
additional valuable information. This suggests that we should retain question B3.1 in the
survey as it captures unique aspects that are not fully covered by B3.5 or B3.8.
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 16 of 39
0.8
B3.5 - Securing supply chains
0.7
B3.4 - Attracting and
mobilizing stakeholders
0.6
B2.10 - Reduced inequalities
0.5
B3.8 - Data storage
and protection
0.4
B3.1 - Risk management and
increasing of disaster resilience
0.3
B2.14 - Life below water
0.2
B2.5 - Gender equality
0.1
B2.15 - Life on land
0.0
.5
.4
.1
.8
.1
.1
.5
.1
B3
B3
B2
B3
B3
B2
B2
B2
Figure 5. Heatmap of mutual information scores.
Initial Challenges
Despite its size, the company has limited prior engagement in sustainable development
and disaster management practices. With climate change accelerating, natural disasters
become more frequent, directly impacting operations. The existing vulnerabilities include
the following:
• Frequent electricity and communication disruptions.
• Supply chain issues with both suppliers and customers.
• Organizational challenges during pandemics.
• Psychological stress among employees.
Stakeholder Actions
Stakeholder engagement is weak:
• Employees: High stress levels lead to decreased productivity and increased turnover.
• Suppliers and Customers: Face their own challenges, causing further supply
chain breakdowns.
• Government Agencies: Provide minimal support due to resource limitations.
Resilience Enhancements
The company fails to strengthen its resilience:
• Infrastructure: No significant upgrades; facilities remain vulnerable.
• Policies and Training: Lacks disaster preparedness policies; no employee training.
Overcoming Barriers
Financial and operational barriers persist:
• Financial Constraints: No efforts to secure funding or reallocate resources.
• Negative Impacts Unmitigated: Disasters continue to cause significant operational losses.
Future Outlook
The long-term outlook is bleak:
• Survival: Company struggles to survive amidst mounting challenges.
• Reputation: Damaged due to poor crisis management and sustainability neglect.
• Missed Opportunities: Fails to capitalize on advancements in sustainable practices.
Initial Challenges
Recognizing the increasing frequency of natural disasters, the company begins to
engage in sustainable development and disaster management practices, albeit cautiously.
Stakeholder Actions
Stakeholder engagement improves:
• Employees: Receive some training; morale stabilizes.
• Suppliers and Customers: Work together to mitigate disruptions.
• Government Agencies: Provide occasional support, although bureaucratic hurdles persist.
Resilience Enhancements
Strengthens resilience to a moderate extent:
• Infrastructure: Upgrades critical systems to withstand common disasters.
• Policies and Training: Implements basic disaster preparedness policies.
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 21 of 39
Overcoming Barriers
Some barriers are addressed:
• Financial Constraints: Secures modest funding through partnerships.
• Negative Impacts: Reduces operational disruptions through improved planning.
Future Outlook
A cautious optimism prevails:
• Sustainability: Recognizes the need for ongoing efforts.
• Leadership Position: Viewed as a responsible company, although not a leader.
• Lessons Learned: Understands the importance of proactive measures.
Initial Challenges
Proactively addresses sustainable development and disaster management, transform-
ing challenges into opportunities.
Stakeholder Actions
Strong engagement leads to collective success:
• Employees: Highly engaged; benefit from wellness programs and training.
• Suppliers and Customers: Integrated into disaster preparedness plans.
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 22 of 39
Resilience Enhancements
Company’s resilience is greatly enhanced:
• Infrastructure: Builds disaster-resistant facilities with renewable energy sources.
• Policies and Training: Establishes comprehensive policies; employees are well-prepared.
Overcoming Barriers
Effectively overcomes all barriers:
• Financial Constraints:
– Secures funding through green bonds and EU grants.
– Leverages investments and partnerships.
• Negative Impacts:
– Implements robust cybersecurity measures.
– Develops alternative supply chain strategies.
Future Outlook
The company is well-positioned for the future:
• Leadership: Receives international recognition for sustainability.
• Innovation: Continues to innovate with sustainable materials.
• Growth: Expands into new markets and sectors.
5. Discussion
The results of our survey provide valuable insights into how organizations perceive
and prioritize various factors related to sustainable development and disaster risk man-
agement. In this section, we discuss our findings in relation to the existing literature,
highlighting areas of convergence and divergence.
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 23 of 39
pressure, organizations may not prioritize climate action. This aligns with our finding that
climate control factors were considered to be less important by the respondents.
Cumming et al. [64] discuss the need for AI-ethics-led sustainability frameworks
that address issues like fairness, justice, and inclusiveness. The low prioritization of
gender equality in our survey indicates a gap in addressing these ethical considerations
within organizations.
6. Conclusions
Increasing an organization’s resilience to disasters through sustainable development
scenarios enables better adaptation to complex environmental conditions. The use of artifi-
cial intelligence may enrich and accelerate scenario creation, but ensuring professionalism
remains essential, including ethical considerations, critical evaluation, external expert
involvement, and thorough documentation.
Our research on Lithuanian companies revealed several key findings:
• Engagement in Sustainability and Disaster Prevention: Only 37% of the respondents
reported encountering sustainable development and disaster management issues, and
a similar proportion developed related scenarios. While external stakeholders (the
state, suppliers, and consumers) are often involved, 57% indicated that companies
ultimately address these challenges independently.
• Preparedness vs. Rapid Response: Companies prioritize rapid response and
liquidation of disaster consequences (4.5/5) over risk management and increas-
ing resilience (3.8/5). This suggests an emphasis on immediate action rather than
long-term preparedness.
• Psychological Stress and SDGs: The correlation and mutual information analyses un-
covered that employee psychological stress negatively correlates with the importance
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 26 of 39
assigned to SDGs during disasters. Thus, stress-reducing measures are crucial for
remaining focused on sustainability.
• Mutual Information Insights: The MI analysis complemented the correlation analy-
sis by detecting non-linear dependencies and identifying potential survey question
overlaps. For example, “Securing supply chains” (B3.5) emerged as a strong predictor.
The use of artificial intelligence in creating typical (pessimistic, most likely, and opti-
mistic) scenarios for sustainable development, including disaster impact assessments and
resilience strategies, could potentially enable resource-limited organizations to identify
priority areas for competence building. When performing scenario generation, it remains
important to consider ethics, logical consistency, contextual relevance, and to document
prompt engineering. Following these practices should increase the efficiency of ChatGPT
use in scenario generation. In this research, we provided detailed prompt engineering
recommendations and examples, demonstrating how to generate scenarios using GenAI.
The research might be useful for researchers and decision-makers. Although only
Lithuanian companies were studied, the insights developed from this research could be
used on a global scale considering the more diverse situations regarding organizations’ re-
silience to disasters and the probability and scale of the disasters themselves. In conclusion,
as the world grapples with an increasingly complex array of crises, this study provides
insights for integrating disaster risk management into sustainable development strategies.
The findings underscore the importance of building resilience at the organizational level
and reimagining “normality” in the face of continuous disruptions, thereby contributing
to the broader efforts to achieve the SDGs in a world where crises have become the new
normal [69].
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, A.M. and O.R.Š.; Data curation, A.M. and A.B.; Formal
analysis, A.B.; Investigation, O.R.Š.; Methodology, A.M., A.B. and O.R.Š.; Resources, A.M. and A.B.;
Software, A.B.; Supervision, O.R.Š.; Validation, A.M. and A.B.; Visualization, O.R.Š.; Writing—original
draft, A.M.; Writing—review and editing, A.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published
version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Data were obtained through paper questionnaires.
Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge the use of ChatGPT 4 (OpenAI, https://chat.openai.
com) to generate prompts that were provided in the article, to proofread the final draft, and to
improve language quality.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Using the detailed context and survey findings provided, generate three comprehensive
scenarios---pessimistic, most likely, and optimistic---that explore how a large manufacturing company in
Lithuania can enhance its disaster preparedness and sustainable development practices over the next
decade (2025 to 2035). Let's consider artificial company named ``Baltic Car Makers''.
In the context of this research, a good scenario is a coherent, plausible, and detailed narrative that
describes a potential future situation involving specific challenges and outcomes related to sustainable
development and disaster management. Each scenario should:
\begin{itemize}
\item Incorporate Survey Findings and Contextual Data: Directly integrate the provided context
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 27 of 39
\begin{itemize}
\item The majority of professionals in Lithuanian companies are engineers, designers, directors,
department heads, and managers, with most holding higher education qualifications.
\item Half of the companies are large enterprises, primarily in the manufacturing sector, with the
remainder being SMEs and micro-companies.
\item Only 37\% of companies have encountered issues related to sustainable development and disaster
management, and a similar percentage actively develop related scenarios.
\item Companies rarely initiate sustainable development and disaster prevention activities
independently; external stakeholders like the state, suppliers, and consumers are typically involved.
However, 57\% indicated that, in practice, only the company itself addresses these issues.
\item Large companies rate their disaster preparedness higher (3.5 out of 5) compared to SMEs and micro-
companies.
\item Differences exist in the prioritization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during disasters.
Clean water and sanitation, good health and well-being, zero hunger, life on land and below water, and
responsible consumption are deemed important across all company sizes. Micro-companies place less
emphasis on gender equality, climate action, and industry, innovation, and infrastructure.
\item The most critical scenarios for disaster management are rapid response and liquidation of disaster
consequences, securing supply chains, attracting and mobilizing stakeholders, and temporary
accommodation of residents.
\item Frequent negative impacts of disasters include electricity and communication disruptions, supplier
and customer issues, organizational challenges during pandemics, financial losses, human resources
problems, and psychological stress among employees.
\end{itemize}
Scenario Requirements:
Develop three scenarios---pessimistic, most likely, and optimistic---for the sustainable development of
a large manufacturing company in Lithuania. Each scenario should:
\begin{itemize}
\item Analyze the Impact of Possible Disasters:
\begin{itemize}
\item Assess the probability, size, and extent of potential disasters.
\item Evaluate how these disasters could affect the company's operations, supply chains, employees, and
stakeholders.
\end{itemize}
\item Detail Actions to Increase Organizational Resilience:
\begin{itemize}
\item Propose strategies and initiatives the company can implement to enhance its disaster preparedness
and sustainability practices.
\item Consider both internal efforts and collaboration with external stakeholders.
\end{itemize}
\item Consider Stakeholder Actions:
\begin{itemize}
\item Include potential actions and reactions from employees, local communities, suppliers, consumers,
government agencies, and other relevant parties.
\item Address how stakeholder engagement can support or hinder the company's efforts.
\end{itemize}
\item Integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
\begin{itemize}
\item Reflect on all seventeen SDGs, highlighting specific actions to promote those identified as
important (e.g., clean water and sanitation, good health and well-being, responsible consumption).
\item Suggest initiatives to improve areas rated lower by micro-companies (e.g., gender equality,
climate action, industry innovation).
\end{itemize}
\item Describe Resilience Enhancements:
\begin{itemize}
\item Explain how the company can strengthen its resilience in each scenario, taking into account the
potential impacts of various disasters.
\item Include measures such as infrastructure upgrades, technology adoption, policy changes, and
workforce training.
\end{itemize}
\item Timeframe:
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 28 of 39
\begin{itemize}
\item Cover developments and projections from 2025 to 2035, outlining short-term and long-term
strategies.
\end{itemize}
\end{itemize}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Company Profile:
\begin{itemize}
\item A large manufacturing company specializing in a specific industry (e.g., automotive parts,
electronics, machinery).
\item Emphasize the company's significance in the Lithuanian economy and the manufacturing sector.
\end{itemize}
\item Initial Challenges:
\begin{itemize}
\item Limited prior engagement in sustainable development and disaster management practices.
\item Increasing frequency of natural disasters due to climate change impacting operations.
\item Existing vulnerabilities such as electricity and communication disruptions, supplier and customer
issues, and employee stress.
\end{itemize}
\item Strategic Initiatives:
\begin{itemize}
\item Steps the company takes to develop and implement sustainable development and disaster response
strategies.
\item How the company leverages its internal resources despite initial reluctance to act independently.
\item Collaboration with external stakeholders to enhance preparedness and resilience.
\end{itemize}
\item Integration of Artificial Intelligence:
\begin{itemize}
\item Implementation of AI technologies, including machine learning and predictive analytics, in
disaster planning and management.
\item Use of AI for early warning systems, supply chain optimization, risk assessment, and real-time
decision-making during disasters.
\end{itemize}
\item Addressing Sustainable Development Goals:
\begin{itemize}
\item Specific actions to promote important SDGs.
\item Initiatives to improve areas rated lower by micro-companies.
\end{itemize}
\item Stakeholder Engagement:
\begin{itemize}
\item How the company engages employees, local communities, suppliers, consumers, and government
agencies.
\item Programs to reduce psychological stress among employees and enhance human resource management
during crises.
\end{itemize}
\item Overcoming Barriers:
\begin{itemize}
\item Strategies to address financial constraints and resource limitations.
\item Measures to mitigate frequent negative impacts of disasters identified in the survey.
\end{itemize}
\item Outcomes and Impact:
\begin{itemize}
\item Improvements in disaster preparedness ratings within the company.
\item Positive effects on operational continuity, profitability, and competitive advantage.
\item Contributions to the broader community's resilience and advancement toward sustainable development.
\end{itemize}
\item Future Outlook:
\begin{itemize}
\item Long-term benefits and lessons learned.
\item How the company's actions position it as a leader in sustainable practices and disaster management.
\end{itemize}
\end{enumerate}
Additional Guidance:
\begin{itemize}
\item Pessimistic Scenario:
\begin{itemize}
\item Explore a future where challenges intensify, and the company's efforts are met with significant
obstacles.
\item Consider worst-case outcomes, such as severe disasters, inadequate stakeholder support, and
limited success in implementing initiatives.
\end{itemize}
\item Most Likely Scenario:
\begin{itemize}
\item Present a realistic future based on current trends and moderate success in addressing challenges.
\item Include balanced outcomes with both achievements and setbacks.
\end{itemize}
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 29 of 39
\begin{itemize}
\item Coherent and Plausible: The narrative should be logical and believable within the context
provided.
\item Detailed and Specific: Include concrete examples, data points, and projections.
\item Directly Incorporating Survey Findings: Use the provided context to ground the scenarios
in reality.
\item Actionable: Offer insights and recommendations that can inform strategic planning and
decision-making.
\end{itemize}
Answer:
\subsection*{Company Profile}
Baltic Car Makers is a large Lithuanian manufacturing company specializing in automotive parts
production. As a key player in the national economy, it employs a significant number of professionals,
including engineers, designers, and managers.
\subsection*{Initial Challenges}
Despite its size, the company has limited prior engagement in sustainable development and disaster
management practices. With climate change accelerating, natural disasters become more frequent, directly
impacting operations. Existing vulnerabilities include:
\begin{itemize} \item Frequent electricity and communication disruptions. \item Supply chain issues with
both suppliers and customers. \item Organizational challenges during pandemics. \item Psychological
stress among employees. \end{itemize}
Between 2025 and 2035, Lithuania experiences an increase in severe natural disasters:
\begin{itemize} \item High Probability: Floods, storms, and heatwaves become more common due to
climate change. \item Size and Extent: Disasters affect large regions, disrupting national
infrastructure. \item Effects on the Company: \begin{itemize} \item Operations are frequently
halted. \item Supply chains are severely disrupted. \item Physical infrastructure suffers significant
damage. \item Employee well-being deteriorates due to constant crises. \end{itemize} \end{itemize}
\subsection*{Stakeholder Actions}
\begin{itemize} \item Employees: High stress levels lead to decreased productivity and
increased turnover. \item Suppliers and Customers: Face their own challenges, causing further
supply chain breakdowns. \item Government Agencies: Provide minimal support due to resource
limitations. \end{itemize}
\begin{itemize} \item Important SDGs Neglected: Little action on clean water (SDG 6), good
health (SDG 3), or responsible consumption (SDG 12). \item Less-Prioritized SDGs Ignored:
Gender equality (SDG 5), climate action (SDG 13), and innovation (SDG 9) remain unaddressed.
\end{itemize}
\subsection*{Resilience Enhancements}
\subsection*{Overcoming Barriers}
\begin{itemize} \item Disaster Preparedness Ratings: Remain low; company is ill-prepared for
crises. \item Operational Continuity: Frequent disruptions lead to declining productivity and
profitability. \item Competitive Advantage: Loses market share to better-prepared competitors.
\end{itemize}
\subsection*{Future Outlook}
\begin{itemize} \item Survival: Company struggles to survive amidst mounting challenges. \item
Reputation: Damaged due to poor crisis management and sustainability neglect. \item
Missed Opportunities: Fails to capitalize on advancements in sustainable practices.
\end{itemize}
\newpage
\subsection*{Company Profile}
Baltic Car Makers maintains its position as a leading automotive parts manufacturer in Lithuania,
contributing significantly to the economy and employment.
\subsection*{Initial Challenges}
Recognizing the increasing frequency of natural disasters, the company begins to engage in sustainable
development and disaster management practices, albeit cautiously.
\begin{itemize} \item Medium Probability: Occasional floods and storms impact operations. \item
Effects on the Company: \begin{itemize} \item Operations are temporarily disrupted. \item
Supply chains experience delays but not complete breakdowns. \item Employee well-being is affected but
managed. \end{itemize} \end{itemize}
\begin{itemize} \item Internal Efforts: \begin{itemize} \item Forms a basic disaster response
team. \item Allocates limited funds for infrastructure improvements. \end{itemize} \item
Collaboration: \begin{itemize} \item Engages with suppliers to strengthen supply chains. \item
Participates in industry forums on disaster preparedness. \end{itemize} \end{itemize}
\subsection*{Stakeholder Actions}
\subsection*{Resilience Enhancements}
\subsection*{Overcoming Barriers}
\begin{itemize} \item Financial Constraints: Secures modest funding through partnerships. \item
Negative Impacts: Reduces operational disruptions through improved planning. \end{itemize}
\subsection*{Future Outlook}
\begin{itemize} \item Sustainability: Recognizes the need for ongoing efforts. \item
Leadership Position: Seen as a responsible company, though not a leader. \item \textbf{Lessons
Learned}: Understands the importance of proactive measures. \end{itemize}
\newpage
\subsection*{Company Profile}
Baltic Car Makers emerges as a leader in sustainable manufacturing and disaster preparedness, setting
industry benchmarks in Lithuania and beyond.
\subsection*{Initial Challenges}
Proactively addresses sustainable development and disaster management, transforming challenges into
opportunities.
\begin{itemize} \item High Probability: Disasters occur but are mitigated effectively. \item
Effects on the Company: \begin{itemize} \item Operations remain uninterrupted. \item Supply
chains are resilient and adaptive. \item Employee well-being is prioritized and maintained.
\end{itemize} \end{itemize}
\subsection*{Stakeholder Actions}
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 32 of 39
\begin{itemize} \item Employees: Highly engaged; benefit from wellness programs and training.
\item Suppliers and Customers: Integrated into disaster preparedness plans. \item
Government Agencies: Provide support and recognize the company's leadership. \end{itemize}
\begin{itemize} \item SDG 6 (Clean Water): Implements water recycling in manufacturing. \item
SDG 3 (Good Health): Offers comprehensive health programs. \item \textbf{SDG 12 (Responsible
Consumption)}: Adopts circular economy principles. \item SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Increases
female representation in leadership. \item SDG 13 (Climate Action): Achieves carbon neutrality
by 2030. \item SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation): Invests in cutting-edge technologies. \end{itemize}
\subsection*{Resilience Enhancements}
\subsection*{Overcoming Barriers}
\begin{itemize} \item Disaster Preparedness Ratings: Ranks in the top 5% in Europe. \item
Operational Continuity: Maintains uninterrupted operations. \item \textbf{Competitive
Advantage}: Increases market share by 25%. \item Community Impact: Supports local communities
through sustainable projects. \end{itemize}
\subsection*{Future Outlook}
Prompt:
Could you comment where and how the data of our study findings was reflected in your scenarios?
Answer:
Study Finding: The majority of professionals in Lithuanian companies are engineers, designers,
directors, department heads, and managers, with most holding higher education qualifications. Half of
the companies are large enterprises, primarily in the manufacturing sector.
Reflection in Scenarios:
In all three scenarios, Company Profile sections emphasize that Baltic Car Makers is a large
manufacturing company specializing in automotive parts, highlighting its significance in the Lithuanian
economy.
The company is described as employing a significant number of professionals, including engineers,
designers, and managers, mirroring the professional roles indicated in the study.
Study Finding: Only 37% of companies have encountered issues related to sustainable development and
disaster management, and a similar percentage actively develop related scenarios.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company has limited prior engagement in sustainable development and disaster
management practices, directly reflecting the low percentage from the study.
Most Likely Scenario: The company begins to engage in these practices cautiously, indicating moderate
involvement.
Optimistic Scenario: The company proactively addresses sustainable development and disaster management,
exceeding the current engagement levels indicated in the study.
Study Finding: Companies rarely initiate sustainable development and disaster prevention activities
independently; external stakeholders are typically involved. However, 57% indicated that, in practice,
only the company itself addresses these issues.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company fails to initiate sustainability efforts independently and waits for
external stakeholders, reflecting the reliance indicated in the study.
Most Likely Scenario: The company takes moderate steps and collaborates with external stakeholders,
balancing internal and external efforts.
Optimistic Scenario: The company leads initiatives independently while also engaging stakeholders,
embodying the proactive approach of the 57% who indicated that companies address issues themselves.
Study Finding: Large companies rate their disaster preparedness higher (3.5 out of 5) compared to SMEs
and micro-companies.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company's preparedness remains low due to minimal efforts, indicating a rating
below the average.
Most Likely Scenario: The company's preparedness ratings improve to an average level, aligning with the
3.5 out of 5 rating for large companies.
Optimistic Scenario: The company achieves top ratings, surpassing the average and becoming a leader in
disaster preparedness.
Study Finding: Important SDGs include clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), good health and well-being
(SDG 3), and responsible consumption (SDG 12). Micro-companies place less emphasis on gender equality
(SDG 5), climate action (SDG 13), and industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9).
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: Minimal progress on important SDGs; important SDGs are neglected, and less
prioritized SDGs are ignored.
Most Likely Scenario: Moderate progress on important SDGs, with initial efforts to address less
prioritized ones.
Optimistic Scenario: Significant progress across all SDGs, including those less emphasized,
demonstrating comprehensive commitment.
Study Finding: Frequent negative impacts include electricity and communication disruptions, supplier and
customer issues, organizational challenges during pandemics, financial losses, human resources problems,
and psychological stress among employees.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: Disasters have severe impacts due to lack of preparedness, mirroring the frequent
negative impacts identified.
Most Likely Scenario: Disasters cause temporary disruptions, but impacts are managed to some extent.
Optimistic Scenario: Disasters have minimal impact due to effective strategies, reflecting the potential
to overcome the negative impacts highlighted in the study.
Study Finding: Large companies rate their preparedness higher and may have more resources to enhance
resilience.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company makes minimal efforts to enhance resilience, failing to leverage its
resources.
Most Likely Scenario: The company takes moderate steps to improve resilience through basic disaster
response teams and infrastructure improvements.
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 34 of 39
Study Finding: External stakeholders like the state, suppliers, and consumers are typically involved,
but companies may also need to act independently.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Study Finding: While not explicitly mentioned in the survey, the integration of AI is a key element in
modern disaster preparedness and aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
Reflection in Scenarios:
Study Finding: Financial constraints and resource limitations are significant barriers to implementing
sustainable practices and enhancing disaster preparedness.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company makes no efforts to overcome financial constraints; barriers persist.
Most Likely Scenario: The company secures modest funding through partnerships and addresses some
barriers.
Optimistic Scenario: The company effectively overcomes barriers by securing funding through green bonds
and EU grants, and by leveraging investments and partnerships.
11. Addressing Employee Well-being and Human Resource Challenges
Study Finding: Psychological stress among employees and human resources problems are frequent negative
impacts of disasters.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: Employee stress increases due to constant crises, with decreased productivity and
high turnover.
Most Likely Scenario: The company provides some training and stabilizes morale, partially addressing
employee well-being.
Optimistic Scenario: The company offers comprehensive health and wellness programs, leading to high
employee engagement and well-being.
Study Finding: Securing supply chains is one of the most critical scenarios for disaster management.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: Supply chains are severely disrupted, causing operational breakdowns.
Most Likely Scenario: Supply chains experience delays but not complete breakdowns, with the company
working with suppliers to mitigate issues.
Optimistic Scenario: Supply chains are resilient and adaptive, maintained through strategic partnerships
and AI optimization.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company fails to respond effectively, resulting in prolonged disruptions.
Most Likely Scenario: The company implements basic disaster response measures, achieving temporary
stability.
Optimistic Scenario: The company excels in rapid disaster response, minimizing impacts and quickly
returning to normal operations.
Study Finding: Micro-companies place less emphasis on gender equality, climate action, and industry,
innovation, and infrastructure.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company ignores these less-prioritized SDGs, similar to micro-companies.
Most Likely Scenario: The company begins to explore initiatives in these areas, indicating growing
awareness.
Optimistic Scenario: The company actively promotes gender equality (e.g., increasing female leadership),
commits to climate action (e.g., achieving carbon neutrality), and invests in innovation and
infrastructure, addressing the gaps identified in the study.
Reflection in Scenarios:
Pessimistic Scenario: The company does not participate in community support efforts during disasters.
Most Likely Scenario: The company provides limited support to local communities.
Optimistic Scenario: The company actively supports local communities by offering resources and
facilities for temporary accommodation, enhancing community resilience.
Figure A1. The full heatmap of correlations between scores for different questions.
Table A1. The estimation of the creativity and entrepreneurship of company employees, average and
standard deviation values.
Parameter Mean SD
B1.1—Creativity of company employees 3.533 1.196
B1.2—Entrepreneurship of company employees 3.400 1.003
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 36 of 39
Table A2. The importance of different SDGs for sustainable development in the context of disaster,
average and standard deviation values.
Parameter Mean SD
B2.1—No poverty 3.433 1.135
B2.2—Zero hunger 4.367 0.999
B2.3—Good health and well-being 4.400 0.855
B2.4—Quality education 3.833 1.117
B2.5—Gender equality 2.800 1.349
B2.6—Clean water and sanitation 4.733 0.521
B2.7—Affordable and clean energy 3.700 1.368
B2.8—Decent work and economic growth 4.133 1.196
B2.9—Industry, innovation, and infrastructure 4.033 1.217
B2.10—Reduced inequalities 3.300 1.343
B2.11—Sustainable cities and communities 3.733 1.258
B2.12—Responsible consumption and production 4.167 1.206
B2.13—Climate action 3.500 1.503
B2.14—Life below water 4.300 1.088
B2.15—Life on land 4.367 1.066
B2.16—Peace, justice and strong institutions 4.167 0.986
B2.17—Partnerships for the goals 4.167 1.341
Table A3. The estimation of the relevance of possible scenario types for managing catastrophes,
average and standard deviation values.
Parameter Mean SD
B3.1—Risk management and increasing disaster resilience 3.767 1.305
B3.2—Rapid response and liquidation of disaster consequences 4.500 1.042
B3.3—The use of artificial intelligence in disaster
3.133 1.196
planning and management
B3.4—Attracting and mobilizing stakeholders 4.033 1.217
B3.5—Securing supply chains 4.100 1.269
B3.6—Ensuring sustainability in the event of disasters 3.200 1.186
B3.7—Temporary accommodation of residents 4.133 1.167
B3.8—Data storage and protection 4.000 1.050
Table A4. The frequency of negative impacts during catastrophes in companies, average and standard
deviation values.
Parameter Mean SD
C1.1—Disconnection of electricity 2.867 1.252
C1.2—Water supply interruption 1.933 1.048
C1.3—Interruption of food supply 1.300 0.651
C1.4—Closed roads 2.033 1.326
C1.5—Disconnection of communication 2.433 1.135
Sustainability 2025, 16, 11147 37 of 39
Parameter Mean SD
C1.6—Destruction in the company 1.300 0.837
C1.7—Fire in the company 1.533 1.224
C1.8—A flood in the company 1.067 0.365
C1.9—Absence of heating and ventilation 2.100 1.062
C1.10—Problems with work organization due to the pandemic 2.300 1.264
C1.11—Problems with suppliers 2.733 1.172
C1.12—Problems with customers 2.700 1.368
C1.13—Injuries to employees 2.167 1.416
C1.14—Deaths of employees 1.433 1.165
C1.15—Information system violations due to hacking and viruses 2.033 1.159
C1.16—Psychological stress of employees 2.633 1.245
C1.17—Legal disputes 1.633 1.098
C1.18—Damage to reputation 1.600 1.102
C1.19—Financial losses 2.300 1.149
C1.20—Human resource issues 2.300 1.368
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