The Kinabatangan Landscape is located in the eastern part of Sabah, Malaysia, within the greater Kinabatangan basin. It is situated on both sides of the Kinabatangan River, comprising fragmented protected areas (PAs), vast plantation areas, and villages. The area is renowned for its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem, making it a hotspot for ecotourism. Fragmentation of PAs has occurred due to land clearance for agricultural activities and other land uses starting from the 1980s and 90s. The existing PAs are too small to accommodate sustainable wildlife populations. Hence, the Kinabatangan Landscape needs a platform for stakeholders to work together to achieve common goals, that is, sustainable development. The state government of Sabah approved the proposed nomination of the Kinabatangan Landscape as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve in March 2022. The main purpose of this nomination was to provide a platform for a shared vision for the stakeholders to coexist by encouraging them to synergize their operations toward the UNESCO MAB concept and objectives of sustainable development. The aim was to develop a shared vision as a win–win situation. In preparing the dossier for the nomination, a series of consultations, workshops, meetings, and seminars were held to make the process a win–win both for the people and the nature. Under the UNESCO MAB Programme, involvement in the initiative must be on a voluntary basis. Stakeholders have various objectives for participating in this initiative, which, as much as possible, need to be aligned with government agencies’ objectives for integrated management and sustainable development in the Kinabatangan landscape. Therefore, engagement strategies must be tailored to the needs and motivations of the respective stakeholders while also being opportunistic enough to offer benefits from the trade-offs of these conservation opportunities. After more than 2 years of consultation, the perimeter of the biosphere reserve, together with zonation, was agreed upon by stakeholders. In addition to providing a corridor for wildlife, the nomination of Kinabatangan landscape as a MAB reserve will also have the potential to promote sustainable development by synergizing socioeconomic needs with environmental considerations and promotion of sustainable development.