The main purpose of this paper is to analyse aspects of the relation between modern organizations and ecological environment, specially some assumptions and limitations not considered in the ecological theoretical paradigms. We propose some foundations to develop a critical approach based on the social systems theory and other sociological frameworks related to the discussions about the reflexive modernity. Trust and social risk, as discussed by authors like Giddens (1991), Beck (1997) and Luhmann (1988; 1989) are the aspects that permit us to relate those different theoretical frameworks. The central suggestion of this paper is that the idea of environmental management has a key function to organizations whose production processes result in ecological damage: to build the necessary legitimacy to their actions, more than to develop a truly ecological conscience.