Globally, standards govern and organise the production and exchange of food. This article uses insights from science and technology studies to study the translation of multiple standards in the Ghanaian pineapple industry. The data demonstrate a translation process that is best described as nesting. Nesting is the process through which producers translate multiple standards into a locally contingent network of human and non-human actors, which is represented materially by the perfect fruit. For nesting to take place, producers develop intra-organisational collective practices that we call: prioritising standards, enrolling additives, and creating residues. The concept of nesting explains how food producers translate multiple standards, while simultaneously regaining agency. While nesting enables us to speak about what it means to implement the multiple standards that materially embody the consumers’ vision of perfection, it also contributes to the sociology of standards, the literature on standards adoption, and organisation studies.

Transnational sustainability governance often builds upon standards. Considering that the rise of transnational governance has blurred accountability relations, this article interrogates how and with what consequences a standards development organization (SDO) mobilizes standards for the sake of accountability. Following a partial organization perspective, standards are conceptualized as combinations of organizational elements that enhance accountability both retrospectively and prospectively. A historical case study of the Fairtrade program details the argument and shows how the SDO modified standards aligned with institutional expectations. As the alteration of one organizational element led to a chain reaction, the standards unintentionally transformed from an organizationally lenient tool into a sophisticated blend of organizational elements. Thus, the standards strengthened the accountability of those being governed, while accountability to the public was enhanced by changes in the organizational structure of the SDO. The article contributes to a nuanced understanding of the link between accountability and standards, highlighting their contingency and context dependency.

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