Sustainability goals need both quantifiable metrics and clear context to be useful for stakeholders and decision makers regardless of the industrial sector. Quantifiable metrics represent a first step in moving towards a more robust set of sustainability goals. Measures of water usage, water sources and the reuse, treatment and restoration of water resources are routinely reported across the industry. However, the metrics alone cannot reveal the full picture of the maturity of a sustainability plan. Here, we use a subset of 250 companies which represent large and small firms across the semiconductor value chain and located across the world to create a sector based benchmark. The companies remain de-identified or anonymous in our primary analysis. By comparing across the sector we can identify trends in sustainability actions related to water and waste management, examples of best practices, and opportunities for cooperation across the value chain in enhancing sustainability related impact. Further, by identifying best in class performance, it becomes possible to create realistic benchmarks and targets toward medium and long term sustainability goals.